AJo 4c
H E N R Y P R I C E
R E P O R T F O R P O S T G R A D U A T E D I P L O M A
IN P A I N T I N G
C A N B E R R A S C H O O L O F A R T
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
F i r s t to my wife C a r o l e for her s u p p o r t and a s s i s t a n c e at all s t a g e s of the year, and my c h i l d r e n F r a n c i s and A n h a r e d for some delight-ful c o m m e n t s and q u e s t i o n s .
To my t e a c h e r s during the year: Bob B o y n e s , Head of W o r k s h o p , H e l e n G e i e r , J a n e n n e E a t o n , and P h i l i p H u n t e r .
Also to D e n n i s T r e w , B a r b a r a C a m p b e l l and Don Bowak for some v a l u a b l e i n s i g h t s on the p a i n t i n g s .
F i n a l l y to Peter H a y n e s , Bob B o y n e s and M a n d y M a r t i n for c r i t i q u e s of this r e p o r t , and to Peter H a y n e s for all his work on the
Post G r a d u a t e E x h i b i t i o n .
CONTENTS
ARTIST'S STATEMENT 1 AIMS FOR THE POST G R A D U A T E YEAR 2
R A T I O N A L E AND I N F L U E N C E S 3 S u b j e c t i v e E x p e r i e n c e 3
The Landscape 7 Early R e n a i s s a n c e
R e l i g i o u s Art 8
NOTES ON PROCESS 12 CONCLUSION 14 B I B L I O G R A P H Y 15 THUMB SKETCHES 17 I L L U S T R A T I O N S
Durer:The Knight, Death
and the Devil 18 G r u n e w a l d : C h r i s t on the
Cross 19 G r u n e w a l d : St Anthony Abbot
assailed by m o n s t r o u s demons 20 Bosch: Musical Hell 21 Rubens: Decius Mus Relating
His Dream 22
A R T I S T ' S S T A T E M E N T
B a s i c d i v i s i o n s e x i s t . W a t e r , l a n d , and s k y ; f o r e g r o u n d , m i d d l e
g r o u n d and d i s t a n c e . W i t h i n t h e s e s t a b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p s , r i t u a l i s t i c
d r a m a s e m e r g e . S h a p e s a p p e a r f r o m d a r k n e s s , l a n d s c a p e f r o m m a r k s
on the c a n v a s . T h e s h a p e s b e c o m e a b s t r a c t e d f i g u r e s , r o c k s , a n i m a l s
and b i r d s . S m o k e b e c o m e s an e n t i t y in its o w n r i g h t . F o r m s w i t h o u t
i n d i v i d u a l f e a t u r e s s t r e t c h , s t r i d e and c o l l a p s e a c r o s s the l a n d s c a p e .
T h i s w o r l d d o e s not e x i s t o u t s i d e the i m a g i n a t i o n . It e x i s t s in i t s
own t e r m s w h i l e m a k i n g r e f e r e n c e s to h u m a n i t y , r e l i g i o n and s o c i e t y .
We h a v e b e c o m e the t r a v e l l e r in t h i s l a n d s c a p e . E v e r y w h e r e we m e e t
r e l i c s of p r e v i o u s e n c o u n t e r s , f l a s h e s of c u r r e n t d i a l o g u e , m o m e n t s
of s o m e t h i n g f r o z e n . At f i r s t we a r e s t r a n g e r s in t h i s l a n d ; the
A I M S FOR T H E P O S T G R A D U A T E Y E A R
T h e c o n c e r n of my p a i n t i n g t h i s year h a s been to seek m e a n s of e x p l o r i n g and r e p r e s e n t i n g the i n t e r n a l w o r l d of h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e . My i n t e n t i o n h a s been to p r o v i d e for the v i e w e r , by r e p r e s e n t i n g the w o r l d of my o w n i m a g i n a t i o n , a l i n k to a s p e c t s of h i s or her own s u b j e c t i v e e x p e r i e n c e , and t h r o u g h t h a t to t o u c h on t h e m e s w h i c h are c o m m o n to a l l p e o p l e .
To do t h i s , I h a v e d r a w n on t h r e e p r i m a r y s o u r c e s ; my o w n i n n e r
w o r l d ; the use of l a n d s c a p e as a m e t a p h o r for an " i n n e r j o u r n e y " ; and the E u r o p e a n t r a d i t i o n of r e l i g i o u s a r t as e x e m p l i f i e d by t h r e e R e n a i s s a n c e p a i n t e r s o u t s i d e I t a l y ; B o s c h , G r u n e w a l d and D u r e r .
A f u r t h e r aim w a s to a r t i c u l a t e m o r e d e l i b e r a t e l y the c o n c e p t s b e h i n d my w o r k . P r e v i o u s l y I h a v e p a i n t e d in an u n c o n s c i o u s m a n n e r , v i r t u a l l y i g n o r i n g c o n t e n t for the s h e e r i n v o l v e m e n t w i t h m a k i n g
a p i c t u r e , the p r o c e s s e s of p i g m e n t , c o l o u r and "mark m a k i n g " .
O v e r the year t h i s e n d e a v o u r to u n d e r s t a n d and a r t i c u l a t e m e a n i n g h a s b e c o m e a p a r a l l e l p r o c e s s to the p a i n t i n g i t s e l f ; on one hand a p r o c e s s of s i m p l y r e f l e c t i n g on the f i n i s h e d p a i n t i n g s , on the o t h e r hand a d e l i b e r a t e i n f o r m i n g f a c t o r in the c o n c e p t i o n of e a c h new p a i n t i n g .
I do not w i s h my p a i n t i n g to be tied d o w n to any one e x p l a n a t i o n of its p u r p o s e and m e a n i n g . I e n j o y and w e l c o m e the p o s s i b i l i t y of n u m e r o u s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . H o w e v e r I a c c e p t the v a l u e of an e x p l a n a t i o n in a u g m e n t i n g the p a i n t i n g and m a k i n g it m o r e a c c e s s -ible not only to the v i e w e r but to m y s e l f .
w i t h its e m p h a s i s on the i m a g i n a t i o n , a b s t r a c t l a n d s c a p e , the p r o c e s s of m a r k m a k i n g and c o n c e r n w i t h the u n c o n s c i o u s .
R A T I O N A L E AND I N F L U E N C E S
T h e t h r e e s o u r c e s of my p a i n t i n g t h i s y e a r h a v e b e e n f r o m d i f f e r e n t a s p e c t s of my l i f e w h i c h h a v e c o m e t o g e t h e r in t h i s body of w o r k . E a c h s o u r c e r e f l e c t s and c o n f l a t e s w i t h the o t h e r s . E a c h r e q u i r e s s o m e e x p l a n a t i o n .
S u b j e c t i v e E x p e r i e n c e
E u r o p e a n c u l t u r e h a s a t r a d i t i o n of c o n t r a s t i n g and o f t e n c r e a t i n g
o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n " o b j e c t i v e " and " s u b j e c t i v e " a s p e c t s of h u m a n e x i s t e n c e . O b j e c t i v e is c o n s i d e r e d as e x t e r n a l to u s , and u n i v e r s a l and t h u s a b l e to be s t u d i e d w i t h s c i e n t i f i c m e t h o d o l o g y . S u b j e c t i v i t y is p e r c e i v e d as p e r s o n a l , i n d i v i d u a l and n o t a m e n a b l e to " o b j e c t i v e " s c r u t i n y .
My own b e l i e f is t h a t s u b j e c t i v i t y , b e i n g e x p e r i e n c e d by e v e r y
i n d i v i d u a l is t h u s u n i v e r s a l and in t h i s s e n s e o b j e c t i v e . My p a i n t i n g is c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e s e " u n i v e r s a l " a s p e c t s of s u b j e c t i v e e x p e r i e n c e ; in J u n g i a n t e r m s , a r c h e t y p a l a s p e c t s .
T h e t h r e e l e v e l s of u n i v e r s a l , c u l t u r a l and i n d i v i d u a l h a v e been i d e n t i f i e d in a n t h r o p o l g y :
" E v e r y p e r s o n is in c e r t a i n r e s p e c t s
a. l i k e a l l o t h e r p e o p l e b. l i k e some o t h e r p e o p l e
c. l i k e no o t h e r p e r s o n . "
My i n t e r e s t l i e s in p r o v i d i n g l i n k s b e t w e e n t h e s e t h r e e l e v e l s
and to r e a c h the u n i v e r s a l by b e g i n n i n g w i t h my i n d i v i d u a l s u b j e c t i v e
e x p e r i e n c e .
T h e r a t i o n a l e for b e g i n n i n g w i t h m y s e l f is s i m p l y t h a t , by d e f i n i t i o n , the only p e r s o n we e x p e r i e n c e f r o m the i n s i d e is o u r s e l f . We i n f e r
t h a t e a c h o t h e r p e r s o n h a s an i n s i d e - l o o k i n g - o u t e x p e r i e n c e w h i c h is at o n c e u n i q u e to t h e m and c o m m o n to a l l p e o p l e .
I h a v e a l w a y s been i n t r o s p e c t i v e ; my i n t e r e s t h a s lain in u n d e r s t a n d -ing m y s e l f in r e l a t i o n to the w o r l d , and m a n ' s p l a c e in the w o r l d . I b e g a n p a i n t i n g as a m e a n s of e x p r e s s i n g e x t e r n a l l y w h a t I e x p e r i e n c e
i n t e r n a l l y . My art is d r a w n d i r e c t l y f r o m t h i s i n n e r v i s i o n r a t h e r t h a n in d e p i c t i o n s of the e x t e r n a l w o r l d .
T h e r e e x i s t r i s k s in t a k i n g s u c h a p r e d o m i n a n t l y s u b j e c t i v e a p p r o a c h in a r t . In p a r t i c u l a r B e r g e r and o t h e r M a r x i s t c r i t i c s e x p r e s s the c o n c e r n t h a t i n w a r d l o o k i n g a r t is b a s i c a l l y i n d u l g e n t and f u t i l e . I n s t e a d art m u s t e x a m i n e and i l l u m i n a t e s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l
r e a l i t i e s , t h u s o p e r a t i n g as a s o c i a l f o r c e on the m i d d l e , c u l t u r a l rung of our t h r e e l e v e l s .
B e r g e r , in P e r m a n e n t R e d , 1 9 6 0 :
"The d i v i s i o n n o w is b e t w e e n t h o s e a r t i s t s who h a v e a s e n s e of r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and t h o s e w h o h a v e n o t , or to put it a n o t h e r w a y , b e t w e e n t h o s e a r t i s t s w h o s e v i e w of life can s u s t a i n a m i n i m u m f a i t h in the v a l u e of h u m a n e x c h a n g e , and t h o s e w h o m a l i e n a t i o n h a s m a d e p a t h o l o g i c a l . " ( p 4 6 )
C h r i s t o p h e r L a s c h in T h e C u l t u r e of N a r c i s s i s m ( 1 9 7 8 ) p u t s t h i s m o r e f o r c e f u l l y , s t a t i n g that the inner s e a r c h l e a d s only to "the dead end of n a r c i s s i s t i c p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h s e l f . "
S u z i G a b l i k (Has M o d e r n i s m F a i l e d ? . 1 9 8 4 ) d e v o t e s a w h o l e c h a p t e r
a r t i l l u m i n a t e s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s and h e l p us to r e c o g n i s e and c h a n g e s o c i a l r e a l i t y " ( p 2 5 ) , w h i l e on the o t h e r hand M a l e v i c h c h a m p i o n i n g e a r l y M o d e r n i s m d e c l a r e d :
" A r t no l o n g e r c a r e s to s e r v e the s t a t e and r e l i g i o n . It no l o n g e r
w i s h e s to i l l u s t r a t e the h i s t o r y of m a n n e r s ; it w a n t s n o t h i n g to do w i t h the o b j e c t as s u c h , and b e l i e v e s it can e x i s t in and for i t s e l f , w i t h o u t t h i n g s . " ( G a b l i k , p 2 1 . )
I b e l i e v e a r i s k of f u t i l i t y d o e s e x i s t w h e n s e l f p r e o c c u p a t i o n
b e c o m e s e x c l u s i v e ; t h a t i s , u n c o n n e c t e d to and u n i n f o r m e d by the two o t h e r l e v e l s of c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t and u n i v e r s a l h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e .
H o w e v e r , to m e , s e l f e x p l o r a t i o n is far f r o m a n a r c i s s i s t i c dead end if t r e a t e d as a r i g o r o u s e x p l o r a t i o n of an e x i s t i n g r e a l i t y .
T h e R e n a i s s a n c e p a i n t e r s , for e x a m p l e , saw t h e i r a r t a s a " w i n d o w " o n t o the e x t e r n a l w o r l d , and t h u s " o b j e c t i v e " t h r o u g h t h e i r
d e t a i l e d and t h o r o u g h o b s e r v a t i o n of a n a t o m y and p e r s p e c t i v e .
H o w e v e r , a s G o m b r i c h d e s c r i b e s w i t h r e g a r d to B o s c h ( T h e S t o r y of
A r t , 1 9 7 8 e d i t i o n ) t h e s e s a m e " o b j e c t i v e " t e c h n i q u e s c a n be u s e d to o b s e r v e and d e s c r i b e m a n ' s I n n e r w o r l d :
" L i k e G r u n e w a l d , B o s c h s h o w e d that the t r a d i t i o n s and a c h i e v e m e n t s of p a i n t i n g w h i c h had b e e n d e v e l o p e d to r e p r e s e n t r e a l i t y m o s t c o n v i n c i n g l y c o u l d be t u r n e d a r o u n d , as it w e r e , to g i v e us an e q u a l l y p l a u s i b l e p i c t u r e of t h i n g s no h u m a n e y e had s e e n . He b e c a m e f a m o u s for h i s t e r r i f y i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s of the p o w e r of e v i l . . . F o r the f i r s t and p e r h a p s the only t i m e , an a r t i s t had
s u c c e e d e d in g i v i n g c o n c r e t e and t a n g i b l e s h a p e to the f e a r s t h a t had h a u n t e d the m i n d s of m a n in the M i d d l e A g e s . " ( p 2 7 6 )
" w i n d o w " w a s in f a c t t w o w a y : M i c h e l a n g e l o , R a p h a e l , L e o n a r d o a n d B o t t i c e l l i w e r e a l l u n i q u e in t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l v i s i o n a n d e x p r e s s i o n , J u s t a s t h e y w e r e a l s o a n i n t e g r a l p a r t of t h e i r c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t .
In m y w o r k t h i s y e a r I h a v e u t i l i s e d t h r e e m a j o r m e a n s f o r e x p r e s s i n g t h e i n n e r w o r l d t h r o u g h a r t ; t h e u s e of s y m b o l s a n d a l l e g o r y , a n e x p r e s s i v e , e m o t i v e p a i n t e r l i n e s s a n d d e l i b e r a t e u s e of f o r m a l d e v i c e s ; t o n a l c o n t r a s t s , b a c k l i g h t i n g a n d so o n .
S y m b o l i s m , a l l e g o r y a n d m e t a p h o r h a v e a s s u m e d a n e w i m p o r t a n c e in P o s t M o d e r n i s t a r t . S e m i o t i c i a n s h a v e m a d e u s a c u t e l y a w a r e of t h e c o n t e x t a n d c o d i n g of v i s u a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n r e v e a l i n g l e v e l s of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a n d m e a n i n g n o t p r e v i o u s l y i d e n t i f i e d . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e e m p h a s i s on a p p r o p r i a t i o n in P o s t M o d e r n i s m h a s a l l o w e d u s to r e a s s e s s t h e u s e of s y m b o l s in t r a d i t i o n a l a r t . F o r e x a m p l e . M e d i e v a l r e l i g i o u s a r t u t i l i s e d c o m p l e x s y m b o l i s m w h i c h c o u l d be e a s i l y r e a d by t h o s e p e o p l e v e r s e d in t h a t v i s u a l l a n g u a g e . T h i s c o u l d g i v e t h e w o r k of a r t a l i t e r a r y f u n c t i o n ; to q u o t e P o p e G r e g o r y t h e G r e a t in t h e s i x t h c e n t u r y : " P a i n t i n g c a n do f o r t h e i l l i t e r a t e w h a t w r i t i n g d o e s f o r t h o s e w h o c a n r e a d . " ( G o m b r i c h , p 9 5 )
S y m b o l s m a y o p e r a t e on a n y or a l l of t h e t h r e e l e v e l s . T h e y m a y r e m a i n m e a n i n g f u l o n l y to t h e i n d i v i d u a l t h r o u g h p e r s o n a l
a s s o c i a t i o n s , t h e y m a y o p e r a t e c u l t u r a l l y a s do C h r i s t i a n s y m b o l s ; a n d a c c o r d i n g to C a r l J u n g c e r t a i n a r c h e t y p a l s y m b o l s a r e u n i v e r s a l a c r o s s a l l h u m a n i t y .
In m y p a i n t i n g I d i d n o t s e t o u t to d e l i b e r a t e l y u s e c e r t a i n s y m b o l s . R a t h e r I f o u n d t h a t c e r t a i n s h a p e s r e a p p e a r e d in t h e p a i n t i n g s
u n c o n s c i o u s l y a n d o n l y t h e n d i d I c o n s c i o u s l y r e a l i s e t h e i r
w a r ( a e r o p l a n e e n g i n e s , h e l m e t s ) to the h e r o a r c h e t y p e ( h o r s e h e a d s ,
s h i e l d s ) , the h u m a n s p i r i t ( b i r d s ) , u r b a n c i v i l i s a t i o n and m o d e r n i s m ( b l o c k s and tower s h a p e s ) , s e x u a l i t y ( p h a l l u s s h a p e s ) , r e l i g i o n
(the c r o s s ) and the u n c o n s c i o u s ( w a t e r , the w e l l i m a g e . )
I w i l l d e s c r i b e the use of e x p r e s s i v e and f o r m a l c o n c e r n s in the " N o t e s on P r o c e s s " l a t e r .
T h e L a n d s c a p e
E v e n w h e n r e l y i n g l a r g e l y on i n n e r i m a g i n a t i o n , it is c r u c i a l t h a t t h i s i n n e r v i s i o n is in t u r n l i n k e d to e x t e r n a l e v e n t s and p e r c e p t i o n s . T h i s l i n k b e t w e e n i n n e r i m a g i n a t i o n and o u t e r e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y h a s been p r o v i d e d for me by the l a n d s c a p e .
In t h e s e p a i n t i n g s I h a v e not been c o n c e r n e d w h e t h e r the l a n d s c a p e is u n i q u e l y A u s t r a l i a n or to e n t e r the d e b a t e t h a t c u r r e n t r o m a n t i c -ism in A u s t r a l i a h a s E u r o p e a n i s e d the l a n d s c a p e . T h e A u s t r a l i a n l a n d s c a p e h a s a l w a y s been for me the m a i n s o u r c e from w h i c h my art is d e r i v e d . M o s t of my d r a w i n g is d i r e c t l y from l a n d s c a p e or is a b s t r a c t e d from l a n d s c a p e . I am i n t e r e s t e d in the d e p i c t i o n of g r e a t
d i s t a n c e and d e p t h in the p i c t u r e p l a n e , o f t e n c o n t r a s t e d w i t h c l o s e o b j e c t s . T r e e t r u n k s , l o g s , d i s c a r d e d o b j e c t s o f t e n p r o v i d e s o u r c e s for the s h a p e s in my p a i n t i n g s . In O c t o b e r I t r a v e l l e d to D a r w i n and K a k a d u N a t i o n a l P a r k w h e r e I did a lot of s k e t c h e s from the l a n d s c a p e . T h e s e i m a g e s i n f o r m e d my d e p i c t i o n of the l a n d s c a p e in the l a t e r w o r k of the y e a r .
O f t e n my l a n d s c a p e s are not of a p a r t i c u l a r p l a c e , but s t r a i g h t from i m a g i n a t i o n . C l e a r l y , t h i s is to i n d i c a t e we are p l a c e d in the i n n e r w o r l d of p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e w h i c h e x i s t s r e g a r d l e s s of
s p e c i f i c t i m e and p l a c e . In v i r t u a l l y e v e r y c u l t u r e t h r o u g h o u t h i s t o r y s p i r i t u a l d e v e l o p m e n t h a s f r e q u e n t l y been d e p i c t e d as a
d r a g o n s , g i a n t s , n y m p h s e t c . T h u s we h a v e the E p i c ; the O d y s s e y , the t r a v e l s of S i n b a d , the P i l g r i m ' s P r o g r e s s , the R a m a y a n a and so on.
T h u s in my w o r k I h a v e used the l a n d s c a p e as a c o n t e x t for the d r a m a w h i c h is the t h e m e of e a c h p a i n t i n g .
In t e r m s of p a i n t i n g the A u s t r a l i a n l a n d s c a p e I h a v e b e e n m o s t s t r o n g l y i n f l u e n c e d by Fred W i l l i a m s , A r t h u r B o y d , D a v i d R a n k i n
and B o b B o y n e s , w h o a l l t r e a t l a n d s c a p e in a s t r o n g p a i n t e r l y m a n n e r . T h e Fred W i l l i a m s R e t r o s p e c t i v e on v i e w l a t e in the y e a r p r o v i d e d a u s e f u l r e s o u r c e .
E a r l y R e n a i s s a n c e R e l i g i o u s Art
At the b e g i n n i n g of the year I w a s i n s t i n c t i v e l y d r a w n b a c k to e a r l y R e n a i s s a n c e r e l i g i o u s p a i n t i n g as a p o i n t of d e p a r t u r e for
my own w o r k . I f e l t the need to p l a c e my u n d e r s t a n d i n g of c o n t e m p -o r a r y p a i n t i n g in a h i s t -o r i c a l c -o n t e x t ; t-o e x p l -o r e its -o r i g i n s in my own w o r k . In a d d i t i o n my e x p l o r a t i o n of the i n n e r w o r l d led me to try to c o m e to t e r m s w i t h my p e r s o n a l and c u l t u r a l c o n d i t i o n i n g a b o u t " t h e h e r o " w h i c h I r e a l i s e d had s t r o n g l y i n f l u e n c e d my c o n c e p t i o n s of " t h e a r t i s t " ; that is the a r t i s t as b o h e m i a n a n t i -h e r o . E a r l y o r i g i n s of t-he r o m a n t i c -h e r o in E u r o p e a n c u l t u r e can
be f o u n d in the l a t e m i d d l e a g e s and e a r l y R e n a i s s a n c e .
F i n a l l y , I f e l t t h a t r e l i g i o u s p a i n t i n g h a s b e e n one of the few a t t e m p t s to r e p r e s e n t the i n n e r p s y c h e of h u m a n b e i n g s . F o r m e , the m o s t m o v i n g r e l i g i o u s p a i n t i n g o c c u r r e d in the e a r l y R e n a i s s a n c e .
O n e of the m o s t p e r v a s i v e and i n f l u e n t i a l m a l e a r c h e t y p e s in our
m o r a l e and c r e a t e d S u p e r m a n , who is a b o u t to h a v e h i s f i f t i e t h birth-day and c l e a r l y h a s not aged a d a y . My own c h i l d h o o d w a s s t r o n g l y i n f l u e n c e d by s t o r i e s of King A r t h u r , R o b i n H o o d , B e o w u l f and U l y s s e s .
L a t e r w h e n i n t i a l l y a t t r a c t e d to p a i n t i n g my m o d e l s w e r e a v a n t g a r d e and b o h e m i a n a n t i h e r o s ; V a n G o g h , M o d i g l i a n i , S o u t i n e . T h i s
b o h e m i a n a n t i h e r o p a i n t e r is s t i l l a very p e r v a s i v e m o d e l for
a r t i s t s as Tom W o l f e d e s c r i b e s r e g a r d i n g P o l l o c k and o t h e r p a i n t e r s of the N e w Y o r k s c h o o l . (The P a i n t e d W o r d , 1980 e d i t i o n . )
R o b e r t J o h n s o n in h i s book The P s y c h o l o g y of R o m a n t i c L o v e , 1983, g o e s a long way t o w a r d s e x p o s i n g the o r i g i n s and i m p a c t of h e r o m y t h s on our c u l t u r e and u n c o n s c i o u s . It is a t r a d i t i o n w i t h r o o t s b u r i e d deep in E u r o p e a n h i s t o r y and w h i c h f l o w e r e d in the late m i d d l e a g e s .
In t h e s e p a i n t i n g s I h a v e d e s c r i b e d a n u m b e r of my own a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s and p e r c e p t i o n s of the hero a r c h e t y p e . It is the h e r o (the p i l g r i m , the a r t i s t ) w h o u n d e r g o e s a d v e n t u r e s w i t h i n the l a n d s c a p e ; for e x a m p l e in " T h e T r y s t " , " C a u g h t " , " P l a n e Over P l a i n " , and
" H e r o In F u l l F l i g h t " . In some of t h e s e p a i n t i n g s the h e r o is g e n t l y l u d i c r o u s or c o w a r d l y , in o t h e r s he is s t r u g g l i n g and t r a p p e d . A d a r k e r s i d e of the h e r o l e g e n d , the h e r o as w a r m o n g e r is d e s c r i b e d in " H o r s e Head and H e l m e t " and "On T h e E d g e " . T h e h e r o as r e l i g i o u s p i l g r i m is the t h e m e of " E m e r g e n c e " .
T h e inner world of h u m a n c o n s c i o u s n e s s has o f t e n been left to the d o m a i n of r e l i g i o n . T h i s , as C a r l Jung r e c o g n i s e d , is l a r g e l y b e c a u s e r e l i g i o u s s t a t e m e n t s " r e f e r w i t h o u t e x c e p t i o n to t h i n g s w h i c h c a n n o t be e s t a b l i s h e d as p h y s i c a l f a c t s . If they did not do t h i s they w o u l d i n e v i t a b l y fall into the c a t e g o r y of the
n a t u r a l s c i e n c e s . " ( C a m p b e l l , e d . . T h e P o r t a b l e J u n g , 1971, p 5 2 2 . ) F u r t h e r J u n g is a b l e to i n t e r p r e t r e l i g i o u s s t a t e m e n t s as
e n a b l e d me to l o o k at r e l i g i o u s p a i n t i n g as r e p r e s e n t i n g the i n n e r p s y c h i c s t r u c t u r e of h u m a n b e i n g s and p r o v i d e d a rich s o u r c e for my w o r k . C o m m e n t s a b o u t r e l i g i o n o c c u r in a n u m b e r of p a i n t i n g s ; " A f t e r M o s e s L e f t " , " P r a y e r F l a g " , " E m e r g e n c e " and " W i t n e s s e s . "
A key f e a t u r e of P o s t M o d e r n i s t art h a s been r e f e r r i n g to and q u o t i n g
from art of the p a s t . It h a s been stated that t h i s is a l r e a d y c u l t -u r a l b a n k r -u p t c y ; t h a t we are g o i n g b a c k w a r d s b e c a -u s e t h e r e is n o w h e r e e l s e to g o , or t h a t it is s i m p l y a c y n i c a l a p p r o p r i a t i o n of p a s t a c h i e v e m e n t s . I t o o k the o p p o r t u n i t y t h i s year to c l a r i f y my a r t i s t i c c o n c e r n s and d i r e c t i o n by e x p l o r i n g the c u l t u r a l and h i s t o r i c a l a n t e c e d e n t s of c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t and s o c i e t y .
T o m W o l f e (The P a i n t e d W o r d ) d e s c r i b e d as " r e d u c t i o n " the M o d e r n i s t r e j e c t i o n of e a c h of the b a s i c t e n e t s of w e s t e r n p a i n t i n g e s t a b -l i s h e d in the R e n a i s s a n c e : " . . . L e t s see, we just got rid of the
l i t t l e r o w s of h u n g p i c t u r e s . . . and w e ' v e g o t t e n rid of i l l u s i o n , r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l o b j e c t s , the third d i m e n s i o n , p i g m e n t (or m o s t of i t ) , b r u s h s t r o k e s , and now f r a m e s and c a n v a s - but w h a t a b o u t the w a l l i t s e l f ? . . . " ( p l O O ) .
In t h e s e p a i n t i n g s I h a v e d e l i b e r a t e l y u t i l i s e d key a s p e c t s of
R e n a i s s a n c e p a i n t i n g w h i c h r e m a i n e d a l m o s t f o r m u l a s in w e s t e r n p a i n t i n g u n t i l M o d e r n i s m : the a c t i o n set in a l a n d s c a p e " b a c k d r o p " , i l l u s i o n a r y s p a c e and d e p t h , a d i a l o g u e b e t w e e n the f i g u r e s
o c c u p y i n g the f o r e g r o u n d as w e l l as t r i a n g u l a r or s y m m e t r i c a l c o m p o s i t i o n s , c h i a r o s c u r o , and c o l o u r s c h e m e s based a r o u n d w a r m b r o w n s .
In p a r t i c u l a r I d r e w from the w o r k of B o s c h , G r u n e w a l d and D u r e r . D u r e r ' s e t c h i n g "The K n i g h t , D e a t h and the D e v i l " s u m m a r i s e s for me all t h e s e c o n c e r n s and t h e m e s ; h u m a n e x i s t e n c e is p o r t r a y e d as a
c u l t u r a l and c o l l e c t i v e u n c o n s c i o u s , r e p r e s e n t e d by the d e v i l and d e a t h . O t h e r e x c e l l e n t e x a m p l e s a r e G r u n e w a l d ' s "St A n t h o n y A b b o t A s s a i l e d by M o n s t r o u s D e m o n s " in w h i c h the d e m o n s c a n be i n t e r p r e t e d
as St A n t h o n y ' s o w n u n c o n s c i o u s f o r c e s , and B o s c h ' s " M u s i c a l H e l l " .
I see m a n y of t h e s e r e l i g i o u s p a i n t i n g s as r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s of an e n t i r e c o s m o l o g y . At the top is h e a v e n , in the s k y , p e r h a p s d o m i n a t e d by God as s u p r e m e r u l e r and j u d g e . In the m i d d l e , the e a r t h , the r e a l m of h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e , w h i l e b e l o w is h e l l , the
u n d e r w o r l d , the u n c o n s c i o u s p o p u l a t e d by d e v i l s , d e m o n s and p s y c h i c f o r c e s . A f u r t h e r t h e m e is the s t r u g g l e b e t w e e n " g o o d " and " e v i l " ; m a n h a s f r e e w i l l to c h o o s e ; " u p " to h e a v e n or " d o w n " to h e l l . T h i s c o n t r a s t b e c a m e r e f l e c t e d in t o n a l v a l u e s ; for e x a m p l e B o s c h r e p r e s e n t s h e a v e n a s a g a r d e n of " d e l i g h t s " in l i g h t t o n e s and c o l o u r , w h i l e h e l l is d a r k , g l o o m y and d r a m a t i c .
T h i s d u a l i t y b e t w e e n l i g h t and d a r k t o n e s is a very i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t of my p a i n t i n g s . In the e a r l i e r p a i n t i n g s d a r k t o n e s d o m i n a t e d ,
N O T E S ON P R O C E S S
It w a s my aim to d e v e l o p a m o r e c o m p l e t e and c o h e r e n t a p p r o a c h b o t h
to my own p a i n t i n g and to a r t as a w h o l e . I k e p t in mind key f a c t o r s d u r i n g w o r k on e a c h p a i n t i n g ; c o m p o s i t i o n , t o n e , c o l o u r , s c a l e (size and s h a p e ) and p a i n t e r l y s u r f a c e .
S c a l e w a s k e p t s t a n d a r d i s e d w i t h one or two e x c e p t i o n s . T o n a l
c o n t r a s t s b e c a m e m o s t i m p o r t a n t . L i n e b e c a m e c o m p l e t e l y s u b j u g a t e d to t o n a l e d g e s . I used two t r a d i t i o n a l e l e m e n t s ; l i g h t f i g u r e on d a r k g r o u n d and dark on l i g h t and s t u d i e d the use of t h e s e in m a n y p a i n t i n g s . I k e p t the t o n a l " s c a l e s " very s i m p l e w i t h p e r h a p s two or t h r e e
g r e y s b e t w e e n black and w h i t e .
I paid p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n to the s u r f a c e q u a l i t y of e a c h p a i n t i n g . I w a s i n t e r e s t e d in the p a i n t i n g as a t r a d i t i o n a l " c r a f t " o b j e c t .
I u t i l i s e d t h r e e basic m e a n s for g e t t i n g p a i n t o n t o the c a n v a s ; b r u s h , p a l e t t e k n i f e and f i n g e r s , and d e v e l o p e d a feel for e a c h a p p r o a c h .
T h i s c o m b i n e d w i t h t h r e e b a s i c p a i n t m i x e s :
T h i c k e r S t a n d a r d T h i n n e r
P u r e p a i n t P a i n t w i t h W a s h e s w i t h P a i n t w i t h b e e s w a x M e d i u m 2 gum t u r p s m e d i u m G l a z e s w i t h
M e d i u m 2
All of t h e s e m e t h o d s and m i x e s w e r e c o m b i n e d f r e e l y so t h a t I a c h i e v e d a w i d e v a r i e t y of p a i n t s u r f a c e s from very t h i c k to very t h i n , and with the c h o i c e s of wet into w e t , wet on dry, dry on dry and dry on w e t .
T h e p a i n t i n g p r o c e s s fell i n t o four d i s t i n c t s t a g e s :
1. P r e p a r a t i o n A f t e r p r i m i n g I o f t e n b e g a n w i t h a c r y l i c w a s h e s w i t h no i d e a of the s u b j e c t but a l l o w i n g s h a p e s and f o r m s to e m e r g e . T h i s s t a g e e n d e d w i t h a r r i v a l at a b a s i c c o m p o s i t i o n . O t h e r t i m e s a p r e p l a n n e d c o m p o s i t i o n w a s d r a w n at the s t a r t .
2. " A t t a c k " In t h i s s t a g e I s u s p e n d a l l d e l i b e r a t i o n and p a i n t r a p i d l y u s i n g the w h o l e r a n g e of m e d i u m s and a p p l i c a t i o n s . It is a very e m o t i o n a l l y c h a r g e d p a r t of my p a i n t i n g p r o c e s s .
3. O r d e r i n g S t e p p i n g b a c k , c a l m i n g d o w n , n o w m a k i n g d e l i b e r a t e
a s s e s s m e n t s . S o m e t i m e s I s k e t c h e d p o s s i b l e o p t i o n s . S o m e t i m e s m a j o r c h a n g e s w e r e m a d e to c o m p o s i t i o n or t r e a t m e n t w h i c h led i n t o f u r t h e r " A t t a c k " p h a s e s .
4. I n t e g r a t i o n T h e s t a g e of f i n a l d e c i s i o n s , h i g h l i g h t s , d e t a i l s , and critique.. O f t e n I found t h i s the m o s t d i f f i c u l t s t a g e as I r a i s e d my self c r i t i c i s m and d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . In C e z a n n e s ' s p h r a s e ,
is the p a i n t i n g " r e a l i s e d " ? - D o e s it say w h a t I w a n t it to?
Do a l l the p a r t s w o r k t o w a r d s the w h o l e ?
In the past my h a b i t h a s been to l e a v e each p a i n t i n g at a
c e r t a i n l e v e l of s a t i s f a c t i o n and m o v e on to a n e w o n e . N o w I p u s h e d e a c h p a i n t i n g f u r t h e r . S o m e t i m e s late in the year p a i n t i n g s d o n e m u c h e a r l i e r w e r e s t i l l c h a n g i n g . I found t h i s a d i f f i c u l t but r e w a r d i n g c h a l l e n g e .
M o s t of my i d e a s o r i g i n a l l y c a m e from s m a l l biro s k e t c h e s of w h i c h I did many t h r o u g h o u t the y e a r . T h e n I m i g h t c h o o s e one and w o r k it t h r o u g h to a p o s s i b l e p a i n t i n g . O c c a i s i o n a l l y I did l a r g e r c h a r c o a l s t u d i e s but I find my p a i n t i n g b e c o m e s very c o n s t r i c t e d if it is too p r e d e t e r m i n e d . I a l s o w o r k e d from p e n c i l s k e t c h e s and p h o t o g r a p h s of the l a n d s c a p e done d u r i n g the y e a r . S o m e of the c o m p o s i t i o n s w e r e
C O N C L U S I O N
S i n c e m y a r t t r a i n i n g a n d p a i n t i n g e x p e r i e n c e h a s b e e n i n d i s c r e t e
s e g m e n t s s p r e a d o v e r f i f t e e n y e a r s , t h e p o s t g r a d u a t e y e a r w a s a n
o p p o r t u n i t y t o c o n s o l i d a t e m y a r t i s t i c c o n c e r n s a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g
a n d t o s e t m y s e l f a n u m b e r o f c h a l l e n g e s b o t h c o n c e p t u a l l y a n d
f o r m a l l y i n a r e a s w h i c h I f e l t n e e d e d r e s o l v i n g i n m y p a i n t i n g .
I f e e l t h a t t h i s h a s b e e n l a r g e l y s u c c e s s f u l . I h a v e b e e n a b l e t o
u s e p a i n t i n g b o t h a s a m e a n s o f s e l f e x p r e s s i o n a n d a t o o l f o r
e x p l o r a t i o n a n d g r o w t h .
M y t h e m e h a s b e e n t h e i n n e r w o r l d o f h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e w h i c h I f e e l
h a s b e e n l a r g e l y n e g l e c t e d i n w e s t e r n c u l t u r e a n d a r t w i t h i t s
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t h e l e s s s u c c e s s f u l .
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S o c i o b i o l o g y : T h e W h i s p e r i n g s W i t h i n
S o u v e n i r P r e s s , 1 9 7 9
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T h e N a m e o f t h e R o s e , P i c a d o r , 1 9 8 4
H a s M o d e r n i s m F a i l e d ? T h a m e s a n d H u d s o n , 1 9 8 4
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P h a i d o n , L o n d o n , 1 3 t h e d . , 1 9 7 8
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A n s w e r T o J o b , 1 9 5 4
i n J o s e p h C a m p b e l l , T h e P o r t a b l e J u n g
T h e V i k i n g P r e s s , 1 9 7 1
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