I have been working on this painting today, I think it is finished, at least for now. I have continued to work in an automatic way, allowing my unconcious to speak, I have tried to create a flow between my heart and my hand without my analytical mind interfering.
Although I disagree with his attitude towards women, I think George Baselitz has a similarity of interest to me in this regard.
In a conversation with Henry Geldzahaler, Baselitz stated that “an automatism must necessarily exist to paint a picture, so that things that lie hidden can come to light” (Siegel 1998:95).
Siegel, J. (ed) (1988) ‘Conversation With Henry Geldzahler’ in Art Talk, New York: Da Capo.
Power argues that Baselitz is searching for the essence of existence and our primal origins. He is engaged with what has survived within us rather than romantically returning to the past.
Power, K. (1991) ‘Hanging Between Analysis and Chaos’ in D’Offay. A. (ed) George Baselitz. London: Anthony d’Offay Gallery.
Rosenthal suggests that the paintings of Baselitz “have a strong element of the ‘primitive’ within them” he states that this derives from “the raw and exposed handling of the paint” (Rosenthal 1991:15).
Rosenthal, N. (1991) ‘Recent Paintings by Georg Baselitz’ in D’Offay.A.(ed) (1991) George Baselitz. London: Anthony d’Offay Gallery.
In prehistoric art there is always a vocabulary of animals, figures and signs which show a substratum of metaphysical thinking. Prehistoric man thought abstractly. Power (1991) suggests that when we excavate things from the past it is surprising how contemporary they can be.
This painting of mine is now on display along with another of my paintings in a gallery called the Freudian Sheep, 104, St Helens St, Ipswich. Come along to the private view on thursday 1st May. from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
