Here are a few images of the work I exhibited at the degree show along with an accompanying statement.
My work focuses on colour relationships; my ultimate aim is to achieve a visually concentrated outcome generated from the interplay of colour, alongside pattern and space. I have attempted to show this by creating a body of work made up of smaller components. These components are arraigned in playful manor throughout my space and aim to question conventional methods of displaying paintings.
“People like pattern, because it is nice to look at.” Matthew Collings
At the start of the year I was stuck in a rut for a period of time with no real sense of direction. Hearing the quote by Matthew Collings took me back to a drawing I had produced in my first year of university, which focused on a repeated pattern. I began by making numerous two and three dimensional paintings in which I attempted to show a visually intense image using pattern & colour on varying formats. From these initial paintings I learnt that, contrasting colour combinations, 3-Dimentional relief pattern, and a long narrow format all played key parts in the visual outcome I was trying to achieve.
The format of the pattern on long thin boards became a vehicle for the colour combinations I was experimenting with. I started out using acrylic paint straight out of the tube, this was a good place to start but the colour selection became limited and I soon began repeating myself. I realised that to give myself a better understanding of why colours work with each other and the properties each colour possesses, I would have to begin mixing my own colours and experimenting. This is something I have always found to be challenging. Upon testing out various colour combinations I noticed that certain colours behaved differently when displayed together. For example in one of the pieces is blue, a recessive colour, it is placed in front of a red, a prominent colour. When viewed the two colours try to retreat towards their natural visual planes.
This in investigation into colour prompted me to look at the work of Bridget Riley and her early ‘Stripe’ paintings from the 60’s. These paintings explored colour contrasts using geometric patterns. Whilst looking at this work I noticed that her work created an illusion of depth and psychical space whilst playing with colour. This made me realise I wanted my work to have more of a physical presence. This is why I began displaying my paintings in unconventional ways; I noticed that this made the work more interesting and engaging. For example by bringing the work out onto the floor, allows the viewer to respond to the paintings in a different way, enabling them to physically walk around the work. To accompany this I also made changes to the pattern element of the work by attempting to activate space in a different way. I also made subtle changes to the colour and shapes of the smaller components that make up the patterns.
As my work was becoming more installation based I decided I needed a neutral grey background to enhance the colours within my paintings and increase the continuity throughout. I’ve experimented with the space I have been given intuitively and avoided over repeating the way in which my paintings have been displayed.
This line of enquiry into colour, pattern and space has been a big challenge and a learning curve. I feel it has been a real insight into the thought process and decision making required to produce work focused on colour and space. To progress my work I want to investigate occupying different spaces using similar formats incorporating colour and pattern.
