Contextual Statement

I have had a go at writing my contextual statement.  This will be something I will keep updating on a regular basis as my work develops and for the practice of writing!!

Imagine the slippage between painting and object, an image that appears as a floating object, or an object that could read as an image.  Where material becomes painting, altering perspectives and blurring the boundaries between the real and the imaginary.  The object becomes a site in which the nature of materiality is tested through visual and conceptual means.  Can an accumulation of images or objects hold their own or overwhelm as a whole, creating formal lines within the threshold between object and space.  What defines painting?

These are the major concerns in my practice.  Rethinking the formal qualities of painting through provisionality and playfulness.  Taking common materials and utilising these in an unfamiliar way allowing the potential for new readings, both visually and materially to be created.

Aesthetics plays a significant role in my thinking, particularly in the realm of sensation.  Vibrant colour adds a touch of whimsy and the sensation of playfulness and humour.  Through interaction with the work the viewer is made aware of small idiosyncrasies, disrupting the flow of information and knowledge of where and how an image and/or object might normally exist.

Provisionality is explored through the use of found wood off-cuts, producing the sensation of abandonment.  Pieces can be picked up and replaced anywhere and in any configuration.  Components can stand on their own, form a relationship with each other creating more than one part, or be re-used over and over again.  This allows for a relaxed experimental approach, an attempt to remove the burden of perfection.