Thursday 27 May 2010

Thoughts on strings and things

The Lagrangian series is about balance, about finding the point between order and chaos where the two divergent forces exert an equal pull. In this respect it as as much a reflection of the world as it is a personal exploration of the artist's psyche.

The forces of chaos come first, represented by the rough, swooping texture of plaster, the bedrock on which everything else is built. Next come the random daubs, splashes and splatters of paint, that run across the works, still an element of chaos but one where the creator's hand is more evident.

Order's first implementation is through the dividing strings, that dissect the canvas, a fencing-in of areas that reflects our most basic urges to divide reality into mine/yours, us/them, here/there, to divide and conquer nature. The colouring of these areas then adds to and strengthens the imposed order, yet is never able to entirely disguise the chaos below. There is therefore no single part of the canvas where either order of chaos are completely dominant and so a balance is achieved.

The text in representative of society, our lives and our communications. The words themselves become almost meaningless, instead rather it is the balance achieved between the phrase (the many) and the single word (the individual) that is the focus. However, in each individual canvas, a further balance is sought between the meanings of phrase and the single word. What can at first seem to be a phrase with a single, ordered meaning, is pulled into question by the ambiguous comment. A balance of sorts.

(notes for future thinking)
*What is the significance of the landscape drawings?
*What is the reason for using harmonious colours?
*Why, as ever, do I always seek to disguise my brush strokes?

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