The Australian National University
Faculty of arts
School of art
Bachelor of Arts (Visual) Honours
Trevelyan clay
STUDIO REPORT
Presented in fulfilment of the requirements of the
Bachelor of Arts (Visual) Honours.
Declaration of Originality.
Abstract
Taking visual elements o f our Immediate experiences, I create an existential account
o f our times.
I am interested in the influence o f mass media on our life. I find subconscious
leanings in the way I portray nature, influenced by visual elements of technology,
architecture, the mediated image, television and video games.
Acknowledgements
Thank you for all the time, teaching and support. Big U p ' s to y'all!
Robert Boynes
Ruth Waller
Deborah Singleton
Marie Hagerty
G r a h a m Eadie
Peter Jordan
Contents
Page
Introduction 7
My working process 9
The b r u s h m a r k 10 F o r m a n d space. 10 T h e role of the figure. 12
Formalities 12
Pictorial aspects; Space a n d light 16
Space 18
Light 19
F o r m a t . 20
Colour 20
Influences 21
Pierre B o n n a r d 22
M a r i Suna 25
Peter Doig 26
My W o r k 29
The Trees On Y o u r M o u n d 29 C o n s t r u c t o r 31
Girl In a Pool 32
K a r e n O Standing Near Sand 33
Conclusion 35
List of illustration 36
Bibliography 37
Introduction
I a m c o n s t a n t l y i n v o l v e d in several d i f f e r e n t realities: that of the T V , c y b e r s p a c e in t h e m o d e of the Internet and v i d e o g a m e s , art, the reality of the state of the w o r l d t h r o u g h t h e n e w s and p o p - c u l t u r e f a n t a s i e s and that of m y o w n i m m e d i a t e w o r l d , w h e r e m y f e e t are solid on the natural living earth. I f i n d t h e s e realities are
i n t e r l i n k e d , c r e a t i n g w i n d o w s t h r o u g h w h i c h I can reach d i f f e r e n t states of reality that p r o d u c e n e w e m o t i o n a l r e s p o n s e s .
I a m interested in c r e a t i n g p a i n t i n g s that h o u s e these c o n f l i c t i n g realities, c r e a t i n g a j a g g e d c r o s s - s e c t i o n of e x p e r i e n c e that a b s o r b s all of my i m m e d i a t e s u r r o u n d i n g s and
r e c o n f i g u r e s t h e m in e a c h painted vision. I use this idea to record t i m e ; by r e f e r e n c i n g all t h e s e realities 1 h o p e to a c h i e v e a record of o u r t i m e s t h r o u g h m y interpretation of the natural l a n d s c a p e and the h u m a n h a p p e n i n g s that o c c u r in it.
I p r o j e c t a mental space with paint o n t o board to c r e a t e a l a n d s c a p e i n f o r m e d by visual e l e m e n t s that are c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of these realities. F o r i n s t a n c e I build up the i n f o r m a t i o n f o r a tree to look like a v i d e o g a m e ' s digital flat m a k e u p , or I use c o l o u r s that h a v e n o realistic relation to the l a n d s c a p e but instead r e f e r e n c e the bright i m p a c t of a d v e r t i s e m e n t and c a r t o o n colours. I then use the l a n d s c a p e a s a stage or a r e n a in w h i c h h u m a n f i g u r e s and o b j e c t s i m p o s e t h e m s e l v e s u p o n the l a n d s c a p e . I use the h u m a n f i g u r e to create a b s u r d or banal s i t u a t i o n s that relate to h o w w e p e r c e i v e n o r m a l i t y and e v e r y d a y life inside our o w n e x i s t e n c e that is in itself a b s u r d .
[image:8.408.5.400.21.555.2]My working process
T h e w a y I a p p l y the paint is firstly by layering a b l e n d e d base s u r f a c e to establish a s m o o t h b r u s h l e s s , g e s t u r e l e s s f i n i s h with b e n i g n , relaxed c o l o u r s . T h e g r o u n d s e r v e s a s a stage o r an a r e n a within w h i c h the painter d e v e l o p s c o l o u r relations, c o m p o s i t i o n and f o r m . T h e n e x t s t e p is to b r e a t h e on this p l a t f o r m and loosely fill the picture s p a c e with f o r m , this f o r m is trees and f o l i a g e w h i c h d o m i n a t e the picture space as well as m a k i n g a literal f o r e g r o u n d w h i c h is like a stage set with a f l o o r and b a c k d r o p . D u r i n g this action I use t h e u n d e r c o a t w h e n wet, w h i c h a l l o w s m e to gain a f l o w i n g , g e s t u r e d a s p e c t of f o r m .
The Brush mark
T h e g e s t u r e is an i m p o r t a n t part of my w o r k as I c o n s t a n t l y r e f e r e n c e the b r u s h itself to s h a m e l e s s l y s h o w t r a c e s of h o w the painting has been c o n s t r u c t e d . I feel that the direct r e f e r e n c e to the brush a f f i r m s the action of p a i n t i n g a s c o m p u l s i v e (you m u s t c r e a t e ) and s h o w s the relation the individual s h a r e s with the paint. 1 a l s o f e e l that it d e f i n e s the m e d i u m as a tool, a tool with historical and h u m a n i s t i c c o n n e c t i o n . In s u m m a r y , it s e e m s to m e that a h u m a n b e i n g h a s taken a b r u s h to a w o r k in a c c o r d a n c e with art history but a l s o b e c a u s e of a c o m p u l s i v e d e s i r e to create.
In c o n t e m p o r a r y painting m a n y y o u n g artists, i n f l u e n c e d by f a s h i o n , h a v e b a n n e d the b r u s h . Instead of c h o o s i n g t h e m s e l v e s , (the f e e l i n g , b r e a t h i n g h u m a n b e i n g ) a s the a c t o r b e t w e e n the m e d i u m and the m e s s a g e , t h e y think it m o r e culturally r e l e v a n t to m i m i c the m a c h i n e in t e r m s of c r e a t i n g an i m a g e . I think that this is w r o n g and I p r e f e r to h o u s e in my w o r k a m o r e h u m a n , spiritual f e e l . 1 w a n t to e x p r e s s t h e subliminal yet s u b l i m e f e e l i n g of being alive in a m a c h i n e o b s e s s e d w o r l d , I d o h o w e v e r a c k n o w l e d g e c o m p u t e r - g e n e r a t e d f o r m s (flat d i g i t a l - l i k e s h a p e s ) that h a v e i n v a d e d m y p s y c h e t h r o u g h digital c o m p u t e r e n t e r t a i n m e n t c u l t u r e .
Form & space: Painted space & digital space
obvious. Instead it reads as a subliminal reference to the real and the other. The real
and the other is something I deal with in the work o f painting itself. The act o f a walk
outside in the bush is a complete sensory experience but the walk inside a super
Nintendo platform game is only aural and visual yet I identify completely with the
character 1 enter in the game as I persevere with the problems I/the character come
across. The aim o f the game is to finish it, and in painting I address parallel problems.
Painting an image deals with a split between two realities. In the process of creating a
painting I experience being the mediator, using a real pigment to create a still, unreal
environment that you look into with a quasi-real feeling. Generating a "fake" ideal
environment gives me a " g a m e " to finish, an unreality that I have to see through to
reality.
[image:11.408.7.399.16.578.2]The role of the figure
T h e w a y I h a v e been painting the f i g u r e in the w o r k has been quite b l o c k y . Filling o u t the f o r m in a childlike w a y . T h e f i g u r e h a s not been s u b j e c t e d to a light s o u r c e or in s o m e c a s e s , a u n i f i e d spatial f i e l d . I r e n d e r e d the f i g u r e this w a y b e c a u s e I f e l t that in t h e early 1990s v i d e o g a m e s the f i g u r e f l o a t e d f r e e l y d o w n the road with n o real or c o n c i s e c o n n e c t i o n to the l a n d s c a p e . I t h o u g h t that this c a p t u r e d the act of p l a y i n g the g a m e and b e i n g i n v o l v e d in this digital reality yet not w h o l l y , p h y s i c a l l y .
R e c e n t l y I h a v e c h a n g e d m y w a y s and h a v e started s u b j e c t i n g the f i g u r e to light and a f o r m - f o n d l i n g m a k e o v e r . I h a v e tried to a c h i e v e this with a loose gestural a p p r o a c h , with h e i g h t e n e d or d o w n p l a y e d c o l o u r s similar to the f i g u r e p a i n t i n g s of the F i n n i s h p a i n t e r Mari S u n n a . I d e l i v e r the paint in a f e w gestural strokes, wet on wet. T h i s b l e n d s the paint to d e l i v e r a rough e m o t i v e f e e l i n g of h o w the f i g u r e s e e m s in t h e l a n d s c a p e .
Formality
T h e s o u r c e s of f o r m a l i t i e s in m y w o r k r e v o l v e a r o u n d naive c o m p u l s i v e t e c h n i q u e s , cool c o n t e m p o r a r y f l a t p a i n t i n g , the N a b i s b o l d n e s s and e n e r g y . I m p r e s s i o n i s m , A b o r i g i n a l art and A b s t r a c t E x p r e s s i o n i s m . T h e s e s o u r c e s d o not r e f e r e n c e
the work of these artists represent different ways of approaching experience of the
world and therefore generate a new way of visually interpreting the environment.
The naive techniques 1 use reference a raw expression that describes the compulsive
nature of creating art. This style offers the viewer insight into what creation means to
the individual human being. And whether it serves as an outlet for pent up absorption
in the world and its emotional toil or brings to life a sense of order and harmony that
we look for but cannot find in everyday life. These thoughts on naive styles are both
relevant to my work.
The cool hard-edged abstraction, which some artists capture by use of tape in order to
construct a hard defining line, has cultural relevance to the machine obsessed era we
are living in. The use of the hard line brings to the image connotations of the
c o m p u t e r ' s design capabilities and architecture's stark angular impact on the natural
landscape.
An absence of the human mark is relevant to contemporary life as we are constantly
being absorbed into a system of bureaucracy and its hard, live by or die out, lines of
agreement. An element of the cult of flat painting I find irritating is the fixedness of
cool that this style supplies to the artist, and when I say cool I mean attitude. The
reason for this being the lack of gesture, as gesture is too soul-defining, and when you
open your soul or "show your shadow" (as Sean Scully puts it) you are open to insight
and attack'. This is excitingly strange stuff. So, when I use the hard line and the flat
formal shapes I usually use it as a pictorial device to split up the composition into
fragments. I know also that it comes with a technological cultural relevance to my
time and era. This is liice tlie Nabis continuing to work in their characteristic way
despite the emergence o f other dominant styles such as Expressionism. The
immediacy o f gesture and bold colour o f the Nabis, particularly Pierre Bonnard, has
had a definite impact on my own painting practice. In the work of Bonnard his
overflowing energy, his sensitivity to the use o f paint, his use of form, light and
gesture have inspired my thoughts on how to capture the landscape with an emotional,
wholehearted attitude. I find that his rendering o f paint affirms that life is a powerful
thing. It says it is an intricate impossible miracle, like his work. The painting process
he uses emits an aura o f the artist being totally caught up in experiencing it sensually
to the highest degree. The playfulness of the oil paint used and the unconventional
formalities of the painting relate to a body and mind in total flux with his materials
and environment, a true recorder of time and space.
The Impressionists deliver, like the Nabis, a sense o f the moment and the natural in a
pure visual sense. I have taken elements o f their reasons for painting and the stylistic
formalities that they used. I aim to replicate their vibrancy and loose quick intuitive
brushstrokes. The Impressionists' style creates the visual sensations that nature and
light provide. I take this style and use it to contrast against the hard edge, flat shaped
style. I do this to get a cross cultural feel incorporating elements o f natural living
Fig 3) Billy Thomas, Moondaroo, 1997, 61 x 40 cm, clay and pigment on canvas A b o r i g i n a l art has a l s o been influential on my practise as its c o m p u l s i v e nature r e a c h e s to a h i g h e r spiritual state, this I f i n d is a way of being involved with the l a n d s c a p e a n d u s i n g a natural material that is in a c c o r d a n c e with the l a n d s c a p e . I a m c o n s c i o u s of the f a c t that this c o u n t r y I inhabit has a h u g e A b o r i g i n a l cultural history b e h i n d it and I f i n d it relevant to r e f e r e n c e the aboriginal w a y of p r o d u c i n g a painting. 1 d o t h i s b e c a u s e I feel that the aboriginal w a y of e x p r e s s i n g spiritual relations to the A u s t r a l i a n l a n d s c a p e t h r o u g h painting is a correct w a y of d e s c r i b i n g the e x p e r i e n c e and e s s e n c e of t h e l a n d s c a p e , f r o m the light to the t e m p e r a t u r e , the f e e l of the sand and tree bark.
[image:15.408.11.406.23.591.2]t e n s i o n and this t e n s i o n c r e a t e s a friction and this f r i c t i o n c r e a t e s a b s t r a c t e x p r e s s i o n i s m .
T h e A B - E X in m y w o r k is c a p t u r e d in certain s e c t i o n s w h e r e n o real m a t t e r is d e f i n e d . T h e visual s u b j e c t b r e a k s up into paint p l a s m a that a l m o s t c o l l a p s e s in u p o n itself. T h e n e a r c o l l a p s e c r e a t e s a section of the w o r k , w h i c h d o e s not c o n j o i n with a n y o t h e r part of the w o r k , stylistically or f o r m a l l y . T h i s is w h e r e the artist g e t s t o o c a u g h t up in the materiality of the paint and the relation of all the c o l o u r s c o m i n g t o g e t h e r in the w o r k . T o me this j o u r n e y into A B - E X is derived f r o m m e m o r y and desire. T h e m e m o r y c o m p o n e n t is a s u b l i m i n a l c o l o u r b a n k , in w h i c h I can recall w h a t c o l o u r s g o with others, a reliving of past c o l o u r relation e x p e r i e n c e s , w h i c h I h a v e had o v e r and o v e r again.
T h e relation that A b s t r a c t E x p r e s s i o n i s m holds to d e s i r e is to create, like R o t h k o , a h a r m o n y in this w o r l d : a look into u n c o n v e n t i o n a l order, p e r f e c t i o n and t h e s u b l i m e . T h i s is p r o d u c e d by a highly c h a r g e d e m o t i o n a l state that ultimately results in a s e n s e of c a l m n e s s and mental unity.
Pictorial aspects: space and light
In m y series of w o r k p l a n n e d f o r large p i e c e s f o r m y a s s e s s m e n t t h e r e are t h r e e p a r t i c u l a r t y p e s of s c e n e s that c o n t r a s t with e a c h o t h e r to s o m e extent.
h a v i n g been b e i n g used f o r s o m e a b s u r d p e r f o r m a n c e , is scattered, f l o t s a m and j e t s a m . T h e r e a s o n I h a v e t a k e n this a p p r o a c h is to h e i g h t e n a s p e c t s of the w o r k and f l a t t e n o u t others. For i n s t a n c e o n e w o r k h a s a solitary w o m a n s t a n d i n g in the picture s p a c e s t a r i n g at the v i e w e r , not d o i n g a n y t h i n g a b s u r d as s o m e f i g u r e s in my w o r k are, with n o o b j e c t s a r o u n d her. T h e n in the n e x t piece I h a v e a m a n o r w o m a n s m a s h i n g baseball bats into a tree. T h i s m a k e s the baseball bat painting a p p e a r to be m o r e s t r a n g e a n d the girl s t a n d i n g , m o r e n o r m a l . H o w e v e r the p a i n t i n g p r o c e s s of t h e s e p i c t u r e s r e m a i n s the s a m e .
Fig 4) Tree lover from downtown Comptoii, Los Angeles 70 x 40 cm, oil on board
b e i n g a b s u r d , beautiful and c r a z y to c o m p r e l i e n d . T h e a i m of t h e s e t h r e e e l e m e n t s is to portray our s e n s e of w o n d e r , intrigue and a m a z e m e n t in e x p e r i e n c i n g life.
Space
T h e w a y 1 portray s p a c e in these s c e n a r i o s relates to the d e g r e e of a b s u r d i t y or n o r m a l n e s s that I a m trying to get. T h e m o r e a b s u r d the s c e n a r i o is, the m o r e the s p a c e is s u b j e c t e d to a b s t r a c t i o n like the p u s h i n g and pulling b e t w e e n f l a t n a i v e s p a c e and d e e p perspectival s p a c e . I s u b j e c t the w o r k s to a sense of s p a c e m e l t d o w n to get a d i s o r i e n t a t i n g , anti-gravitational f e e l i n g . T h e w o r k s c o n c e r n e d with m o r e r e g u l a r situations, deal with c o n v e n t i o n a l s p a c e in a s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d m a n n e r .
T h e s p a c e d o e s v e n t u r e b e t w e e n the real and the i m a g i n e d . T h e i m a g i n e d h a s b e e n inspired by c o m p u t e r p l a t f o r m g a m e s circa 1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 6 . In these g a m e s , particularly " B a t t l e T o a d s " , " V e n d e t t a " and " S t r e e t F i g h t e r " , t h e r e is a levelling of u s a b l e s p a c e in w h i c h y o u r c h a r a c t e r can m o v e a r o u n d , then in the s e c o n d section t h e r e is b a c k g r o u n d s i m i l a r to a stage set of f o l i a g e and i m a g e r y that is r e n d e r e d u s e l e s s and p u r e l y visual, a n o - g o z o n e .
Fig 5) The tip. 47 x 23, oil on board
Light
I u s e light in m y w o r k in the s a m e w a y g e n e r a l l y as I use s p a c e . I use light, in a c c o r d a n c e with t h e w a y the p a i n t i n g c e n t r e s a r o u n d the t h e m e the light f o l l o w s . In s o m e w o r k s there is an a v e r a g e light, an illumination f r o m the s u r f a c e o u t w a r d s , as if the p a i n t i n g w a s b e i n g lit by c a t h o d e rays like a television screen.
[image:19.408.10.403.27.576.2]Format
T h e f o r m a t of m y w o r k is s i m i l a r to t h e f o l d out n a t u r e of a cereal b o x ( w h e n f o l d e d out), they h a v e w i n g s w h i c h act as a sort of external v i e w i n g s p a c e .
T h e r e a s o n 1 h a v e c h o s e n this p a r t i c u l a r f o r m a t is its e x p a n s i v e quality, the w a y it c a t c h e s the e y e o f f - g u a r d and h o l d s it in an u n c o n v e n t i o n a l picture s p a c e . T h e f o r m a t is either p r e s e n t e d in an a s y m m e t r i c a l or s y m m e t r i c a l w a y . T h i s j u m p b e t w e e n t h e t w o w a y s of p r e s e n t i n g the w o r k f o c u s e s on r a n d o m c h o i c e and c h a o s , the j a g g e d e d g e as o p p o s e d to t h e standard habitual picture space.
T h e r e c t a n g l e or s q u a r e is c o n s t a n t l y used by e n t e r t a i n m e n t and b u s i n e s s i n t e r f a c e s , T V s , personal c o m p u t e r s , c i n e m a s c r e e n s , p a i n t i n g s and w i n d o w s . All t h e s e f o r m a t s o f f e r us a b o x e d in v i e w , a w a y of s e e i n g only w h a t is shot and p r o d u c e d ,
d i s r e g a r d i n g all that is o u t s i d e the s p a c e . By m y o p e n i n g u p the s q u a r e , the v i e w e r is c o n f r o n t e d by u n f a m i l i a r i t y that is not usually i n v o l v e d with the T V screen and o t h e r s q u a r e s and r e c t a n g l e s .
A n o t h e r a s p e c t of m y f o l d o u t f o r m a t is that the individual p i e c e s used h o u s e c h a p t e r s in the w o r k that e a c h act as part of a story. T h e y can be read as a n a r r a t i v e in t e r m s of pictorial c o m p o s i t i o n , painting styles e b b and f l o w f r o m o n e b o a r d to the next, c r e a t i n g a s e n s e of u n r a v e l l i n g the space w h i c h relates to the u n r a v e l l i n g of a s e n s e of o r d e r and reality.
Colour
T h e w a y I c h o o s e t h e c o l o u r s is t h r o u g h p l a c i n g an u n d e r c o a t of c o l o u r s d o w n o n t h e m a t e r i a l . T h e c o l o u r s in t h i s l a y e r all r e l a t e t o t h e f i r s t c o l o u r t h a t 1 p l a c e d o n t h e b o a r d . T h e r e s t of t h e p a i n t i n g s t e m s f r o m t h i s f i r s t p a t c h c r e a t i n g a s e r i e s of c o l o u r s t h a t c o n t r a s t a n d c o m p l e m e n t e a c h o t h e r g i v i n g m e a f i n i s h e d l a y e r t h a t is p u r e , w i t h n o i d e n t i f i a b l e f o r m s . T h i s l a y e r is t h e n u s e d a s a c h a o t i c g r o u n d o n w h i c h
r e c o g n i s a b l e f o r m s m u s t b e r a i s e d . T h e b a s e l a y e r a l s o c r e a t e s a n a b s t r a c t s p a c e , w h i c h c a n i n f l u e n c e t h e w a y s t h e c o l o u r s of t h e f o r m s c o m e a b o u t .
Fig 6) The infinity pond, 90x 7 0 cm, oil on board
[image:21.408.12.400.27.594.2]Influences
Pierre Bonnard
One of the most distinguishing features of Pierre Bonnard's vvorlc was how bold and
intuitive it was, I found his extension on Impressionism exciting as well as leaning
towards expressionism and abstraction, creating a mix very individual and radical for
his time.
I liked the possibilities Bonnard's styles offered him as a painter and how it absorbed
the soul of the landscape. Bonnard refers to this "soul" of the landscape as the
"climate" which I think means the immediate sensory experience of being there in the
flesh^. This drive to capture the "climate" or the "soul" of the landscape informed the
application of the paint.
Fig 7) Pierre Bonnard The French window. 1930. 6 x 4.5 inches, water colour B o n n a r d ' s a p p l i c a t i o n of the paint is loose, rapid, gestural and subtly visceral. T h e first e l e m e n t I n o t i c e d in B o n n a r d ' s w o r k w a s his a p p a r e n t d i s r e g a r d f o r the quality of the s u r f a c e . T h e s u r f a c e w a s not g r o t e s q u e or very heavily laden; it j u s t had an u n k e m p t quality that w a s n o t i c e a b l e . T h e paint is delivered in a brash m a n n e r that is t w i s t e d b e t w e e n f e v e r i s h creation and a relaxed m e t h o d i c a l a p p r o a c h . W h e n this b r a s h n e s s is c o m b i n e d with the h e i g h t e n e d c o l o u r s it c r e a t e s the feel of a mental p l a y g r o u n d , a q u i c k , intuitive action and an i m p u l s i v e desire to create (and create well). T h r o u g h his p r o c e s s of p a i n t i n g B o n n a r d s e e m s to be trying to c r e a t e a h i g h e r s e n s e of the l a n d s c a p e , a spiritual realm of e x p e r i e n c e .
[image:23.408.18.398.31.586.2]inclination to move between subjects inspired by the fast moving urban surround and
scenes of leisure, in the city or the country side.^
In a similar way I take aspects of different cultures that makes up our contemporary
culture. As Bonnard has borrowed pictorial motifs f r o m design. I have borrowed
elements f r o m computer design, T V , contemporary architecture and indigenous
painting. This has led me into making work that reflects our time and place within
civilisation. This absorption is not explicit in my painting but like Bonnard it comes
through in the process as a sort of unveiling of the psyche.
Interrelated f o r m s are very present in Bonnard's work, the way one tree will bleed in
with the tree next to it and so on. I have come to think this blurring of f o r m is a result
of the glance and peripheral vision. I have taken this motif and bled it into the optical
effects 3-d video games offer. When playing a video game you focus on the
character that you are controlling and, ignore the g a m e ' s scenery because of the
concentration you place on the character. If you look closer however you will see that
all the landscape depicted is a mass of different shapes and colours that create an
optical effect similar to B o n n a r d ' s interrelated forms. I have taken the optical qualities
of the computer game and made landscapes that emulate it.
Mari Suna
[image:25.408.8.400.19.599.2]The paintings of Mari Suna have been influential on the way I have rendered the
figures in my work of late. 1 discovered her work at the Sydney Biennale this year,
2004.
Mari Suna creates figurative paintings that lean towards abstraction by breaking the
figure down into loosely descriptive gestures and blocks of form and colour.^
Fig 8) Marl Suna, Beauty is only the first touch of terror. 122 x 98, 2004, oil on board
Her figures conjure up an idea of personal identity yet leave the viewer without a face
or a clearly defined figure to relate to. They are cerebral portraits that deliver a
cross-over between a thought and an image. I find this idea of the cross-cross-over between a
thought and an image relates to how I think the figure should function in a work of
art. There is a choice as to whether it is there to be looked at in an iconic way or
whether it should be used to provide thought on the way the figure relates to the rest
of the painting, to give the figure baggage so to speak. Like Suna, I have applied the
paint in a loose gestural way that uses colour emphasis and soft distortion to engage
the viewer in an emotional relation with the figure depicted. By applying the paint to
the figure in this manner I have found that the way the figure is perceived in the
landscape relates convincingly to my subject matter, which is concerned with the
different states of reality we inhabit. The figure can be thought of as a source of
introspection, enveloping you in the work and the reality the work emulates.
Peter Doig
Peter Doig is an artist whose work is bound up with the mediated image. "Mediate"
means "act as go-between, involving intermediate agency or action," The reason
"mediate" is a relevant word for Doig is that his process, involves interaction with the
mediated image as resource for his painting^. These mediated images are photos Doig
has taken himself, images he has found in magazines, record covers, film stills, other
people's art, and transmitted images of culture and nature. Doig uses these images as
the ground for his painting. He never creates his paintings f r o m nature, they are made
in a studio. His work suggests a mental space and shamelessly shows traces of its
construction.
The mediated image offers him a way of using our collective pictorial archive to load
his paintings with relevant cultural imagery that makes them recognisable as the
product of a contemporary artist and of a person whose identity formed in the closing
decades of the 20"' century. Subtle existentialism.
Fig 9) Peter Doig, Blotter. 1993, oil on canvas 249 x 199
Like D o i g I w o r k f r o m a m e n t a l s p a c e , I n e v e r venture out into the natural
e n v i r o n m e n t to paint. I h a v e f o u n d t h r o u g h looking at D o i g ' s w o r k that the pictorial a r c h i v e o u r brain a d d s to m e m o r y e v e r y d a y is a s p r i n g b o a r d f o r s u b j e c t m a t t e r with p a i n t i n g . H o w e v e r u n l i k e D o i g I d o not a l w a y s r e f e r e n c e the m e d i a t e d i m a g e but look f o r the soul of t h e m e d i a t e d i m a g e , the a v e r a g e , f a m i l i a r i m a g e that w e c o m e a c r o s s d a y a f t e r d a y . T h i s i m a g e b e c o m e s banal, it loses m e a n i n g and in its place c o m e s p r e c o n c e p t i o n s . F o r i n s t a n c e , l o o k i n g at a picture of a girl in a b a c k y a r d pool in c o n t e m p o r a r y t i m e s b r i n g s the v i e w e r a t h o u g h t of an a d v e r t i s e m e n t , f o r e x a m p l e , f r o m a real estate a g e n c y or a cigarette c o m p a n y .
[image:27.408.9.399.26.588.2]by the w o r l d of c o n s u m e r i s m . In m y w o r k "Girl in a p o o l " I h a v e t a k e n t h e n o t i o n of t h i s external a t t a c h m e n t and created the w o r k in a c c o r d a n c e with it.
I c o n j u r e d up a m e n t a l i m a g e of a girl in pool and t h o u g h t a b o u t its cultural
c o n n o t a t i o n s . It s e e m e d to m e , in the view of the w o r l d , b a t h i n g in a p r i v a t e pool is a very A m e r i c a n t h i n g , a very l u x u r i o u s t h i n g to d o and since a pool is a very e x p e n s i v e t h i n g to h a v e installed in y o u r house. T h i s then m a d e m e t h i n k of t h e " A m e r i c a n D r e a m " , A m e r i c a n f o r e i g n policy and third w o r l d p o v e r t y . T h e s e i d e a s related all t h e w a y b a c k to c o n s u m e r i s m , a d v e r t i s i n g and t h e m e d i a t e d i m a g e .
I then painted the w o r k and p r e s e n t e d the girl in the pool as an all A m e r i c a n s w e e t h e a r t , in red and blue s w i m w e a r , staring and s m i l i n g at the v i e w e r w i t h her hair r o m a n t i c a l l y f l o w i n g t h r o u g h the w a t e r and skin explicitly t a n n e d b r o w n .
My Work
In w h a t f o l l o w s I e x a m i n e f o u r particular p a i n t i n g s f r o m m y b o d y of w o r k to s h o w h o w they relate to the ideas and the i n f l u e n c e s m e n t i o n e d a b o v e .
"The Trees on your mound"
Fig 10) The trees on your mound, 200 x 200 cm oil on board
[image:30.408.4.401.24.589.2]"Constructor"
F o r the p i e c e " C o n s t r u c t o r " I had o r i g i n a l l y d r a w n a r o u g h d r a w i n g of a m a n lying on t h e dirt s t a c k i n g m a n y f r u i t p a c k i n g b o x e s u p o n him to m a k e a structure. T h i s w a s a to m a k e a s i m p l e r e f e r e n c e to m a n and his c r e a t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p with a r c h i t e c t u r e . I t o o k this story and d r e w it a f t e r I had seen a g r o u p of art s t u d e n t s s t a c k i n g s i m i l a r c r a t e s o u t s i d e C h a t s C a f e so high that it w e n t a b o v e t h e b u i l d i n g in height. T h e y d e s t r o y e d the s t r u c t u r e by riding a b i c y c l e into it.
I d e c i d e d to paint the w o r k m a k i n g a h e a v y c o n t r a s t to the w a y I applied t h e paint in t h e f o l i a g e and the b o x e s . T h e f o l i a g e w a s d e l i v e r e d very q u i c k l y and w a s loosely g e n e r a t e d to g i v e a visual interpretation of o r g a n i c g r o w t h , w h e r e a s the b o x e s w e r e a g r o u p of hard lines painted in bold c o l o u r s that m a d e up the structure. T h i s p i e c e w a s c r e a t e d to p r e s e n t a s i m p l e e x a m p l e of w h a t c o m e s out of h u m a n creativity
a c k n o w l e d g i n g m a t h s and architecture.
[image:31.408.6.401.20.596.2]"Girl in a pool"
In m y w o r k "Girl in a p o o l " , I had t h o u g h t s i m p l y a b o u t the cultural r e f l e c t i o n s that a pool has. It is a l u x u r i o u s t h i n g to h a v e , o f f e r s great relaxation and is a s i g n i f i e r of w e s t e r n a f f l u e n c e . T h e use of the pool w a s a l s o to d o with the u b i q u i t o u s n a t u r e of it in art as I had seen this y e a r , a lot of H o c k n e y ' s p o o l s , J e n n i f e r B a r t l e t ' s p o o l s and R o d n e y C l i c k ' s one lane pool. F r o m v i e w i n g these a r t i s t ' s w o r k s I t h o u g h t a b o u t w h y the pool is p r e s e n t e d by t h e s e artists. I c a m e to the realisation that it is a great pictorial d e v i c e to p r e s e n t s p a c e and a l s o a versatile e x p r e s s i v e o b j e c t that can be interpreted in m a n y w a y s .
Fig 12) Girl in a pool, 55 x 28 cm, oil on board
It Is i n t e r e s t i n g that a s i m p l e i m a g e of a pool can bring up a range of o t h e r a s s o c i a t i o n s c o n n e c t e d with relaxation and s w i m m i n g . In this piece I h a v e tried to c o n v e y the w a y a d v e r t i s i n g h a s left a s e r i o u s i m p r i n t on m y m i n d , h o w in m e m o r y it kind of o w n s o u r t h o u g h t s .
"Karen O Standing near sand"
[image:33.408.7.404.23.597.2]a n o t h e r girl in a l a n d s c a p e d e v o i d of e x t r a n e o u s p o p c u l t u r e matter. H o w e v e r , I w a n t e d to c a p t u r e s o m e of her intrigue. H o w I painted h e r h a r n e s s e s s o m e m y p r e c o n c e p t i o n s of her identity, as a black-clad u n n e r v i n g p o s e u r p o r t r a y e d a s a stark f i g u r e with slightly w a t e r e d d o w n skin t o n e s that are lightly e n s h r o u d e d in a b i a c k o n -s k i n - t o n e o v e r c o a t . S h e i-s rendered in a w a y that -s u g g e -s t -s -s h e i-s f o r e i g n to thi-s l a n d s c a p e and d o e s not belong. T h i s has s o m e r e f e r e n c e to the price of f a m e and its social a t t a c h m e n t s . K a r e n O h a s been i m m o r t a l i z e d in a n o t h e r world not the w o r l d of reality.
T h e w a y I r e n d e r e d the l a n d s c a p e w a s i n f l u e n c e d by the w a y I o r i g i n a l l y saw t h e i m a g e on t h e c o m p u t e r and not in the l a n d s c a p e . I p r o d u c e d the l a n d s c a p e
a c k n o w l e d g i n g the light and space in the p h o t o but tried to blend a f l a t e l e m e n t to t h e s p a c e . T h i s w a s by firstly using interrelated f o r m s f o r the trees, then g i v i n g the trees individuality by d i s t r i b u t i n g into the space flat s h a p e s of f o r m . 1 then used the f r a y e d brush t e c h n i q u e to get a visual l i k e n e s s to c o m p u t e r g r a p h i c s .
T o get a c o n t r a s t to the digital d o m a i n in w h i c h this l a n d s c a p e is d e p i c t e d I
[image:34.408.12.400.22.582.2]Conclusion
List of illustration
Figure I) Trevelyan Clay, Karen O Standing Near Sand, 90 x 120 cm, oil on board p 8 Figure 2) Trevelyan Clay, Shadow Moiind, 54 x 25 cm, oil on board p 11 Figure 3) Billy Thomas, Miindooroo, 1997, 61 x 40 cm, clay and pigment on canvas p 15 Figure 4) Trevelyan Clay, Tree lover from downtown Compton Los Angeles,
70 X 40 cm, oil on board p 17
Bibliography
Bonaventura, Paul, Peter Doig: A partial Record Parkett 2003 V 67 p55
Collins, Matthew, This is Modern Art, Seven Dials, Weston-gulpil, 2000, New York
Elfving, Taru, Emotion Reason. Biennale of Sydney, 2004, Perth p202 Ferguson, Rusell iMura Owens paints a picture, Parkett V 65 New York
Franzen, Jonathon, How to he alone, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2002 New York
Fuchs, Rudi Contemporary Fragility Parkett V 67 New York
Hesse, Herman, Klingsors Last Summer, (\920) Picador 1988, America
Hesse, Herman, Peter Kamanzind (\904) Penguin, 1989, London Kokoshka, Oskar, My Life, Thames and Hudson, 1974, London
Morley, Malcolm, On Painting Parkett, V 52 New York
Obrist, Hans Ulrich, Pippilotti Rist, Phaidon 2001, New York T h o m s o n , Mungo From my junkyard to yours, Parkett V 65 New York
Wahler, Marc-Olivier, See is it always the same the story, Parkett, V 7 0 New York
Wall Jeff, Jeff Wall, Phaidon, 2001, New York
Application for Bachelor of Arts (Visual) Honours
Dezree:
Paintins workshop: Trevelyan Clay
U3374295
1. a) What are you aiming to investigate?
My world at the moment is informed by time and structure. Waking up in the morning and having a planned day ahead, things to do, bills to pay, work to do, deadlines to meet, my life isn't free.
I aim to investigate how this influences the way I live my life as a structured, consuming, conforming, bureaucratic, time scheduled, administrative human. To create this concept visually I plan to synthesise the organic purity of trees with the structure and balance of design, architecture, maths and technology. By using this synthesis 1 hope to comment on the way we as pure human beings have structured our lives and also structured our world visually.
By creating these paintings I hope to achieve an existential reaction of our world in 2004.
B) How are your previous work and experience relevant to the proposed
project?
My work of this year 2003 has been mainly concerned with using paint and the brush to explore the organic nature of trees. I have been doing this to explore a sense of purity in a world so caught up in technology, mass media and pop culture. The paintings I have been creating have been however influenced by photographic composition and flat space.
1 came to realise that this was subconscious and so therefore the purity was not there, I feel like 1 cannot escape this grasp of mass medias influence so in my honours year I want to address this influence. And comment on this subconscious influence of structure, mass media and pop-culture.
2. a) What working/research methods do you intend to use? Also
include here an indication of how you will begin your studio
investigations.
I will begin my painting at h o m e during the end of year break. Investigating the way I am going to bring the two elements of organic and artificial into the same picture space and allowing it to work pictorially and conceptually.
I will then once at school again begin to do larger scale works using the techniques and languages I had developed this year and over the Christmas break.
I will attend art forums both in the art school and national gallery, as well as the 2004 Sydney Biennale. Attend openings whenever 1 can and get the feel for w h a t ' s happening on the local and international circuit. I will also spend time to read the magazines, books and essays in the library.
b) What materials will you use?
At the moment I have been using mdf board, with acrylic base and wet oil paint. These materials have suited my wet on wet style yet I have the urge to try new artificial paints such as Synthetic polymer paint, acrylic and enamel.
c) If you will need to develop any new skills ' please detail.
1 will need to work on my colour mixing skills as a feel at the current time 1 keep resorting back to successful mixes I have used in the past. I feel that once I gain a wider understanding of the colours I can create my work will become more exciting and beautiful on the eye.
d) Are there any special resources you will need to carry out for
the project?
I will need to read more about other peoples views of life in this structured paradise. Philosophical and psychological writings that talk about the human condition in these days of mass media strangleholds and technological revolutions.
3) Context.
I have been taking into account the trends of contemporary painting, the innovation of
formal, flat, cartoon and computer generated paintings. The artists doing this style that
have influenced me have been Takeshi Murakami, Fiona Rae. Matthew Ritchie and
Yoshimoto Nara due to their cultural technological relevance. On the other hand I am
very interested in Aboriginal paintings such as X-ray painting from Arnhemland and
Contemporary Aboriginal artists Dorothy Napangardi and Emily Kame Kngwerreye
attract me because of their high level of identification with the earth.
b) What are the key texts (visual or written) relevant to your
project? Please detail.
The key texts that inspire my works are the soulful earthy paintings of Emily Kame
Kngwerreye and the unhuman rendering of paint in the works of Takeshi Murakami.
The main information that has been influencing my work is just existing in this world
and experiencing where it takes me.
Outcome and Timeframe
Please indicate the possible form of the outcome of your
investigation.
I plan to complete a 124 x 124 (roughly) work every one to two weeks, working on
two at a time; this means that by the end of the first semester I hope to have twelve to
fifteen works complete.
By semester two I hope to have found ways of speeding up my process and plan to
have around twenty large-scale works finished.
I will also have investigational drawings and small-scale paintings that I will
complete on the holidays and during the year.
Honours proposal 2004-06-15
1) The Aim:
The aim of my project is to project my considerations of the wonder, absurdity
and chaos that inhabits our world, onto material using oil paint.
[image:40.408.8.403.38.590.2]I have been aiming to portray scenarios of sensational expressionism through
absurdity chaos and wonder. These scenarios involve the human figure in a
strange relationship with the landscape. This strange relationship involves the
figure doing strange things that human beings do, painting arrow targets
conceptually, smashing guitars and smashing baseball bats into trees, etc.
These scenarios draw on the notion of sensational expressionism that is ever
present in the way we live our lives, our choice of fashion, the way we walk,
things we say. Automated actions that we use to impact on the world around
us.
1 am beginning to reference absurdity, wonder and chaos in correlation to my painting by p r o d u c i n g s c e n a r i o s of creation and construction tliat self-reference my actions as a painter as an absurd praxis.
Tiie way I have been painting my work is by creating a mental space projected by my mind and then filling out the picture space with imagery relying on the elements of chance and chaos that the first brush stroke of colour emits.
2) Methods and Materials;
T h e way I have been producing my paintings is by first taking the picture space and dividing it into two sections the foreground and the back ground, a picture space similar to a set on a stage. The foreground consists of the literal ground and the background the foliage.
I then mix up one colour of oil paint place it on the canvas and then persevere with the formalities of the painting in relation to the colour and f o r m of the first section. As the painting breathes out f r o m this section I work back over the painting using wet on wet application with linseed oil. I s o m e t i m e s implicate the use of tape to divide and balance the surface and colour of the paint.
I use these processes until the balance of the colours and f o r m s work then abandon the landscape and find a significant place in the foreground to place a figure and scenario.
I have been using small dahler boards in unconventional compositions to impose a harder upon defining the space and incorporating a furthered element of chance and chaos into the work.
Context;
The wider context in which my art relates to and has emerged f r o m consists of Art, music and literature. Key pieces are the novels "Peter Kamenzind" by Herman Hesse, " W o m e n in love" By D.H Lawrence "How to be Alone" by Jonathon Franzzen and "Theatre of the Absurd" By Samuel Beckett.
T h e music is that of Radiohead, T h e dandy Warhols, David Bowie , Underworld and Suicide. The art is painting produced by Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali, Peter Doig. Dexter Dalwood and Daniel Richter.
T h e turn of the century novels "Peter K a m n z i n d " by Herman Hesse and " W o m e n in L o v e " by D.H Lawrence are steeped in discourse about man relating to his surrounding natural environment. T h e authors describe the landscape in a sensational romantic view. They bring the imagery of the natural world to life with an abundance of information that vividly brought the scene to my mind. The description of the landscape also set a stage for the strange affairs that that the characters of the novel created for themselves. In the series of essays that is Jonathon Franzzens " H o w to be a l o n e " I undertook his attitude in the interest of small and big everyday trivia and how it impacts on our life changing it without us knowing, I could also empathize with his view of humanity losing its head and soul to business, the digital revolution, cigarettes, Parkinson's and Oprah Winfrey.
and forces them to consider the meaning of their existence in a world where there seems to be no true order or meaning.
In the music of the bands I have listed above the lyrics of the songs o f f e r bizarre nonsensical narratives that offer insight into profound illogical insight into what the meaning of the song might be. You are never sure of what they are trying to say precisely but the particular words and the way they are sung give the song an added meaning and depth. This use of mystery and not knowing intrigues me and leaves me to provide my own conclusion of what the song might be about.
The art of Pierre Bonnard to me describes an existential expression of the joy of experiencing the qualities of life that nature provides. His affinity with gesture, mark and colour elevates the work above painting in to an action of bold affirmation that he is alive with the living world. 1 am inspired by his energy and sensual use of paint.
Matisse has impacted upon me the possibilities of style and execution that Painting can offer. His inventive attitudes to the formalities of painting and his effortless abandon has urged me to be less self conscious with my painting and to adopt new approaches frequently. With Matisse I also like the role of the mental space creates.
Salvador Dali has influenced the figure into my work. The way he charges the A t m o s p h e r e of his work with the adding of a figure in a strange scenario invigorated my thoughts on representing human life and thoughts into my work.
Peter Doigs reckless use of appropriating contemporary visual media and inturn c r e a t i n g and existential collection of w o r k p r e v a l e n t to t h e s e contemporary times has inspired me to do so as well. I like his " d u m b genius" approach of letting the image persevere with the viewer itself, without having to reference an art essay.
I have been influenced by Dexter Dalwood's use of unconventional space and format and Daniel Ricters use of extremely heightened colours that verge on psychedelic abstraction.
O u t c o m e : 1 hope to have by the end of the academic year have 10 to 12 paintings in large 1 by2 metre format.
T i m e f r a m e : I will start to work big on the mid year break holidays will continue my wet on wet process and try to finish 1 every 2 weeks.