Lynda “Benglis initiated several bodies of work in the late 1960s and early 1970s that set the course for her subsequent practice. Her wax paintings, which began with brushed skin-like layers of pigmented beeswax and dammar resin transitioned into the use of a blowtorch as a kind of brush, manipulating colors into a marbleized surface that seemingly fought against the constraints of the lozenge-shaped Masonite panels. The impulse to see these forms flow beyond the structure of a traditional support led Benglis to embrace pigmented latex, which she began pouring directly onto the floor.” Pace Gallery, Lynda Benglis At: https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/lynda-benglis/ (Accessed 07.09.2021)
The artist transferred painting from canvas to space. Experimenting with materials, she chose for herself such a material that reflects the movement of her body and conveys the historical load through the pigments of colour. In this case, latex, for example, transmits the natural movement of the material it is spreading in the space in the room.
This approach is not that far from mine. Starting from the plane of the canvas, I was looking for a way out of its limits. But the difference is that I was motivated by my sense of colour. And for me, colour is the beginning of form and materiality.
Frank Auerbach, (1965) Oil on board, 40 x 37 x 6 cm. Portrait of Gerda Boehm, courtesy Marlborough Fine Art. Reproduced courtesy Private Collection on long term loan to the National Galleries of Scotland [Painting] At: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/98880/portrait-gerda-boehm (Accessed 07.09.2021)
Frank Auerbach saw the concept of going beyond the canvas, not as a complete renunciation of the plane but rather a three-dimensional space within the paint. He remained figurative, and this, nevertheless, imposed restrictions on the image. Emotions are conveyed by texture and brush strokes. But this is always a limitation of the canvas.
“Painting provides a platform where time, space, gravity and perspective can be shifting and unstable. Within this malleable construct, Smith is endlessly inventive and creative, bringing together diverse and disparate objects and environments. The familiar and the unfamiliar, the contemporary and the archaic; all interweave to create intense and often psychologically charged works. Rich in detail, colour and texture, the intricacy of these works invites a slowing down and an offer of respite from frenetic consumption.
Each work is conceptually rigorous in its interrogation of the world around us. Drawing together source material ranging from designer fabrics and jewellery to the natural world, from the history of art and literature to popular culture, every detail is carefully selected and positioned to create multiple, fragmented and complex narratives. These seductively complex paintings draw us in, challenging assumptions and rejecting easy categorisation.” The new art gallery Walsall, Anj Smith, A Willow Grows Aslant the Brook At: https://thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/exhibition/anj-smith-a-willow-grows-aslant-the-brook/ (Accessed 07.09.2021)
Anj Smith, False Steward, 2019-20, oil on linen, 63.4 x 56.3 cm. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Alex Delfanne. [Painting] At: https://thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/exhibition/anj-smith-a-willow-grows-aslant-the-brook/ (Accessed 07.09.2021)
This is such a talkative painting that it ceases to be a discussion of the material. Anj Smith's work reminds me of Jheronimus Bosch. To create such detailed paintings, you need a thoughtful and pedant character. I am endowed with these qualities, but I am terribly not interested in seeing this in art. Firstly, this has already was once, and secondly, ideas are imposed on me through this figurative painting. And I am the creator. I create worlds and ideas myself. Through the material, you can speak deeper with the viewer. I would leave the figurativeness to photography and cinematography. And I assign to art in a large sense the role of a communicator through high, invisible matter.
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