Julie Mehretu’s work is on a comparatively huge scale, and she works with paint to create layered and intricate canvases. She works with imagery, graffiti, and architectural photographs. The reason i am going to be exploring her work is due to the large scale and how this compares to my own work. Mehretu takes influence form JAckson Pollack and Bruce Newman, which is clear to see in her works. The large erratic colour, angled lines and use of colour is representative of her influences.
This work is Julie Mehretu’s HOWL, eon (I, II) (2017)
Image from: https://www.sfmoma.org/exhibition/julie-mehretu-howl-eon-i-ii/
It is made from two huge canvases placed on the walls of the SanFrancisco MOMA. They are so large that Mehretu needed a cherry picker to work on the whole expanse of the surface of the canvas. This is quite different to my way of working, where I may use a step ladder or the classic paintbrush on-a-stick to reach heights as an extension of my body. Here the cherry picker becomes an extension of her body, making it possible to reach these heights. This is different to the to way the Pollack made his paintings, laying them across the floor and dripping and moving the paint that way, which is similar to my (unresolved due to lack of floor space) floor painting ‘Untitled’ 2021. The way that Mehretu is painting upright is similar to my work ‘Transient Convection’ (2021). However this work Julie Mehretu’s HOWL, eon (I, II) (2017) is still upholding to some traditional painting techniques – the fact that is is on a canvas that can be removed and travelled upholds that ‘art market’ theme that I look to be able to move away from in my work.
Images from https://www.menil.org/exhibitions/261-works-by-cy-twombly
Cy Twombly is an interesting artist in reference to my work as I find myself questioning his work as painting or drawing. The questions arise such as is it marking making with paint or drawing with paint rather than painting in its truest form? Again, I find myself questioning these lines. Twombly seems to be working in the classical way of working paint and oil onto a canvas and applying this to architecture, usually a gallery white cube space.
Idea 1 – Large painting in space using polystyrene blocks as a way of merging the floor with the walls and as a way of bringing colour into the space. This idea is because in the past, I have enjoyed and focused on creating immersive installations for the viewer to enjoy, but usually face on, or on a single wall. As a progression I aim to create an immersive space for the audience to enter, where their body becomes a part of the installation, as a reflection of my body leaving the traces of paint on the walls. The idea of the polystyrene blocks is to merge the ‘real’ world to the painting in a way in which the viewer could touch this painting or move the blocks around if they wish.
Image of Idea 1
Idea 2 – Large immersive wall painting as a piece alone. I believe that once I have completed the painting, it will be a strong work as a stand alone piece for the viewer to enter the space and enjoy painting as a sculpture, or as a drawing that is made with paint that a person can become a part of and ,be their body around the space. I also look to paint on the floor after reviewing these proposals with the group and with Jane.
Image of Idea 2
These ideas create a clear progression from my past works and I feel that they all come together to make this piece and moments of them can be seen throughout the work. I can see it as a progression in the last year from the polystyrene piece, the floor painting, moving to the piece I made on the wall in my home, and finally a climactic ending to this huge immersive piece. I have been looking at artists such as Sol Le Witt, William Kentridge, Cy Twombly and Julie Mehretu due to their large scale wall drawings/paintings.
Mural development 29 April 2021.
27/05/2021 – Looking back, i was considering being almost finished this work on this date, with just the back corner to finish. On reflection i am really happy that i decided to add to the overall work and continue the consistency of depth across all areas of the work, bringing it together. I am also really happy with the addition of working on the floor following a crit i had. This really added to the overall immersive effect of the work.
Stills from ‘Altering Lines’ (2021) Elgin Thwaites.
Link to watch (low quality) film on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WKwMGzfdM74
I visited up north when I was living alone this year over April. I found this to be a very useful trip as I was surrounded by the beaches and vast open spaces of my home, Scotland once again. I spent lots of time walking the beaches around Ayr and looked back to see so many lines that people had travelled and walked across the beach. I became interested in how these lines interrupted the beach’s coastlines and the traces left by the sea on the sand as it moved viciously up the beach through the week.
I decided to film myself walking on the beach and dragged a piece of branch i had found in the rocks behind me. I chose to walk backwards so I wouldn’t be influenced by dodging rocks or debris as the sea doesn’t choose where it lands. Although this was a bit tricky it turned out successfully which I was happy about.
I also took many stills of the different surface textures around the sandy beach floor.
Images taken of the beach (2021)
I included some of these in the actual film too.
Link to ‘Altering Lines’ (2021) : https://youtu.be/WKwMGzfdM74
27/05/2021 – I am very happy to say that my film ‘Altering Lines’ was included in the FLUX virtual exhibition hosted by YAIS (Young artists in Suffolk). However, due to technical difficulties the film was unable to be shown in the virtual exhibition – the downside of virtual exhibitions! But will still be shown on the YAIS Instagram. Website Link: https://www.artsteps.com/view/608dc65246d6a01f27d03b38 Instagram Link: https://instagram.com/youngartistsinsuffolk?utm_medium=copy_link
