Reflection on Talk Week Critique

Lead by Monique Jansen, Amber Wilson and Anoushka Akel

Through the course of the critique there were a few specific issues raised that stood out.  The first was whilst going through the initial ‘what are we looking at?’ approach the fact that the panel looked like concrete, had tape, plywood and yarn attached – appeared as a construction, similar to what was happening directly outside my studio space.  This was not a subconscious decision when making this work but has influenced me sometimes, if only for a starting point for a painting.  Additionally, an issue that was raised which interests me is the idea that the viewer had been presented with a work in a traditional painting style, yet were you dealing with a painting and/or object?  I am interested in exploring through my work the liminal space, seeing what happens when a painting is pushed to the threshold between painting and sculpture, or painting and drawing, when it starts to become something other than just painting.  The shadows cast from this object was also mentioned and became part of the work, which I feel is a subtle factor in my work and I would be interested in developing this further, which may mean larger works.

What appear predominant in these more installational or sculptural pieces are their control, rigidity and linear aspect (vertical/horizontal).  Even though intentionally the work is not directed and there is an allowance for development through the making, my personality still shines through.   In my work I will aim to address this area in particular, to continue to think of my work as mere play and experimentation.  To allow for the freedom and looseness to come.  There was suggestion to develop the dexterity of my work, to look at how it could become more precious?  These are decisions that I feel I need to ponder on, whether I tend towards the bounded, controlled and structured or whether through the dexterity of the materials it becomes more unconstrained. 

Abstraction and the grid was raised, as was the untitling of work and the comprehension behind that.  There are historical contexts that relate to these which I will address, along with the expanded field of painting, which is an area of interest.  A lot more reading to be done!