Tag: Painting

Posted on

Pearl Twink. Lagos, Lekki

I have started to work on a new piece. It is a portrait of a young single mum of 4, who lives in a privileged district of Lagos, called Lekki.

I have started to build up the underpainting using several layers of paint and washes of colour. The next stage will include experimentation with ‘washing’ the under image off. This is a part of my reflections on discussions with Jonathan during my most recent tutorial.

I have also created an extensive mind map of the possible meanings of ‘washing’ in order to embrace the full message contained in this powerful word in a variety of contexts.

Currently, I am working on unstreatched and unprimed canvas. Therefore, I will be able to use varies chemicals and the washing machine to replace the old blasting process.

I will loose more control over and what remains on the canvas following a washing cycle will be purely accidental. The plan includes using different lengths of the washing cycle, varying temperatures and a number of washing powders including stain removers.

This initial image is below:

11EC2AF2-8AC4-43F5-88FE-BFE683B4AFBC

Posted on

New Series – Waiting For A Cocktail Called Porn Star.

I have tried to experiment with a wide range of approaches to painting and communicating through the visual language. Initially, I explored possibilities of using the already established process of over-printing a painted surface, which is subsequently blasted off with a water jet. This method was gradually developed and extended further. Additionally, I became more interested in the size of my work and started painting on smaller pieces of unstretched canvas.  My creative intention was to differentiate between micro and macro environments and consider the pieces in terms of their size, scale and impact.

This is significant in terms of the quality and energy of mark, which I am able to achieve. The image ‘handling’ process is also diametrically different.  The smaller size of  canvas makes the blasting process much more dramatic and devastating.  It is also less precise in terms of the amount of control I have over the tool and its power.

Some of the images below, were almost totally washed off by the jet of water.  However, the brush marks were much more powerful and distinct; making the entire composition more abstract and almost unrecognisable. The  pictorial content was fully covered and the underneath layers of paint were totally invisible.

My images have started to become very fragile. I had to use the process of digital scanning in order to recover some visual aspects of them and save important details from being erased and permanently lost.

Perhaps, the next stage of my experimentation will include working on lighter colour backgrounds, thinner fabrics and using materials, which are much more delicate and fragile to enhance the possibility of happy accidents and increase the imperoding process of blasting.

When working on upstretched fabrics, I can also consider using bleach, Vanish and other chemicals.  I will replace the water jet with a washing machine.

This should give me a completely new and alternative path as a direction for my experimentation.

There are some images of the new process:

1401FC3A-F8C6-41EE-9D51-9842CA7EBE17DE2D2731-C8F9-4308-80EF-997FF734BA3B0AE84FB1-0592-43BC-945E-D3F25260BD280FDC6F7B-0AF4-41F0-8AD5-4FB22CDA2916A8A6B120-7A93-4A8B-B742-95F05192FE13

 

Posted on

Beautiful Stranger – Progress.

I am really excited about some recent developments in terms of my painting practice.  I have worked on my recent canvas with a great range of colour layers and washes.  The glazing of the underpainting, which is in turn blasted off with a jet of water, creates a sensation of unusual depth to the work.

i am hoping to achieve a greater complexity of the surface quality. I am also experimenting with a juxtaposition of hyper realistic portrayal and random and accidental marks created by the jet of water. However, this process is more than just a mere accident.  I am also slowly learning how to control the nozzle of the pressure washer in order to achieve an effect, which i particularly desire.

In technical terms, I have also extended on my typical use of brushes and started to include working with sponges and cloth.

The process is documented below:

IMG_1175IMG_8239

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Uncertainties of Pomegranate

I have spend most of the day experimenting with the established process of continuously over-printing and blasting the newly applied colour  layer away with a strong jet of water.

While documenting the work progress, I have started to alternate the use of video material and photography of relevant stages and refinements.

The screen developed for this image is based on pomegranate. This fruit is a national symbol of Azerbaijan.  It is also associated with wealth and prosperity.  Most Azeris regard pomegranate as a culturally and historically established object of desire.

i particularly like the ambiguity of the composition of pomegranate seeds. The screen is mysterious and non-descriptive. This lack of exactness and visual identity make it more uncertain and, perhaps even nervous,

IMG_4143

My creative intentions were to make images, which are more ambiguous and undefined by avoiding using realistic colours.  I have experienced a lot of trouble trying to photograph these paintings. I had to bounce the light of a screen to avoids unnecessary reflections and other visual disturbances.  The idea was also to reject the use of Photoshop as a tool for enhancing images. I wanted to get photographs, which are untouched and unchanged – a la prima.

What is really important to me is the use of accidents, which are wholly unpredictable.  It is also about visualising anxiety and uncertainty of “things going wrong” and simply destroying my own work before giving it a chance to appear and develop.  I am fascinated by the layers of paint and ink, and the accidental tears breaking up on the surface.  Punhane has started to develop references to images of Madonna, or perhaps, coffin portraiture and paintings executed in encaustic..

The next stage will be to leave this piece to dry and than, prime its surface with diluted PVA in order to be able to restart the entire process again.

The stages of development are as follows:

IMG_0323IMG_3440IMG_4262IMG_5409IMG_7215IMG_7690

Process videos:

Posted on

Beautiful Stranger

I have finally started on a long planned experimentation with an image of an English girl. Hopefully, this will allow me to differentiate between my foreign inspirations in juxtaposition to a local character.

My creative intention is to continue with the painterly process before overprinting this canvas with a screen with a composition made using silhouettes of PornStar cocktails.

As previously, the interwoven blasting procedure should loosen the image and introduce meaningful drippings of great significance to the uncertain character of my work. The blasting and its uncertainty contradicts the premeditated and preplanned content of the work.

The initial painting is below:

Posted on

Punhane Means Secret. Anxieties of The Future.

I have manipulated the video to alter its format.  Most of the experimentation was undertaken with Adobe Premiere Pro CC2018 to achieve two main objectives:

  • make the video shorter (under 60 seconds) in order to be able to share it on Instagram.
  • the second, more important goal was to remove some of the unnecessary content, which has diluted and clouded the key message in the voice recording.

Additionally, I utilised a range of transitions and other editing effects in order to make the overall piece more holistic and cohesive.  The other quality improvement was to alter the tonation of the video footage. My creative intention was to make it much warmer and introduce a sensation of ageing.  This echoes the greatest fear of Punhane – she is terrified of getting old.

My final proposal has just been shared online and I am nervously awaiting commentary.

The painting itself will be revisited and developed further next week.  I am in the process of thinking the progress through, while trying to refine the idea and enhance painterly qualities of the piece. I have just developed a new screen with an image of a cross section of a pomegranate.  I took this image at a market in Baku. This is the official national symbol of Azerbaijan.  It was also Punhane’s favourite fruit.  I will be using the highly decorative and organised pattern of seeds while overprinting the piece with a range of layers, starting with vibrant crimsons and moving through the colour spectrum towards deep blues, while printing with Prussian Blue based colours.

I am moderating in Northern Ireland next week, but the plan is to take my work to the second stage of blasting it with a water jet.

Posted on

Anxieties of Punhane

My creative intention is to use the voice recording below to contextualise the piece, which I am currently trying to develop and refine.  There is a degree of hesitance, which is apparent throughout the talk.  The essence of what Punhane is trying to truly communicate is contained in the last sentence, as follows:

“I am a bit worried about being alone and getting old…”

The Blasting of Secrets of Punhane

 

Posted on

Punhane Means Secret

I have started with the painterly process, while preparing an under painting for a new piece. The inspiration has come from my experiences in Azerbaijan, especially in the capital Called Baku.

The image below is of a young Azeri girl, who was my guide around the “Land of Fire”.  We have spent a fair amount of time together, while exploring the local culture and became friends.

On the last day of my visit, I managed to interview Punhane.  She gradually opened up and revealed her secrets to me.  She was very nervous and hesitant.  I recorded her short monologue, which appraises her uncertainties and anxieties.

I questioned the concept of happiness. This somehow upset her.  She abruptly responded – “I have already told you – at the end”.

Ultimately, the recording will accompany and support the digitised version of a more refined version of this work.

Posted on

MOMA Baku

This extensive gallery is absolutely inspirational! Both, the architecture and curation of the work provide an exciting inside into a range of developments in the contemporary art of the Balkan region. It draws from numerous influences of the Persian Empire, long standing cultural and religious traditions and, finally, Russian occupation. The impact of war in Nagorno Karabakh and a conflict with Armenia is also clear.

Due to the international profile of exhibits, I have also started to recognise some of the artists, whose work was on display in Tbilisi.

The work is very expressive with a strong narrative element. My head is buzzing with new ideas.