I had a very useful critique with my peers and tutors, as they always are. I really do enjoy crits! Due to covid it was a digital critique which was just as useful if not more, as I was able to pinpoint exactly what it was I wanted to show. First the work, a large unfinished abstract painting on the floor (2020) was shown, and this is what I took from it: The white background is a successful way for me to show the saturation and colour of my painting. The varied mark and movement seen within the lines are successful. The colours are complimentary and fade into each other well. The more you look at the image (It draws you in) the more you can see figures and movement. This reminded the viewers of Jackson Pollock’s work, in that it was very visual, you could imagine movement or the artist making the work. This has always been a consistent thread for me within my work that seems to be observed by all. It was described as having a ‘serious playfulness’ which was something I really liked hearing!
Elgin Thwaites work in progress (2020)
It also reminded the viewer of the work of Julie Mehretu and Helen Frankenthaler. Also when the work was flipped upside down it was considered to be just as successful so this was very reassuring.
Elgin Thwaites work in progress (2020)
Image of work in situ on the floor of my studio.
I look forward to working on it more and playing around with the placement of the work, on the floor and may on the wall. I would like to have a go at trying it on the floor over 3D objects. This would remind me of DC Semiraris (2019) by Tai Shani I saw in October 2019 at the Turner Contemporary. I really loved that work.
Tai Shani DC Semiraris (2019)
Image from Artnet [https://news.artnet.com/exhibitions/tai-shani-on-performance-art-1676260] (2019)
The second work that was in the crit was Suspense in yellow (2020)
Elgin Thwaites Suspense in yellow (2020)
Images of work face on and in the shadows.
The feedback was as follows: the close up images are effective in showing texture and detail, and the use of shadows in some of the images were effective. Interesting that I repurposed polystyrene as a surface, lots of negative connotations with using polystyrene but as this was repurposed that is a good thing. The inorganic material gives of an impression of being an organic one, and some of the texture reminded a peer of being a lichen. The carving into the polystyrene is linked to a relief print.
There is a clear connection between the works They seem to not be purposefully made, but created through passion, freedom and movement amongst the layers. This reflects on my previous works which explored the notion of chance and also my automatic drawings.
I will also be having a read into Rosalind Krauss’ Medium specificity, as the polystyrene piece refuses to sit in either box of painting or sculpture and instead is a balancing act between the two.
