introversions
an exhibition of paintings
by gordon fraser
9 february – 21 march 2008
opening reception
saturday 9 february 7 – 10 pm
grassroots arts facility
143 christopher columbus, third floor
gallery hours 3 – 8 pm th, f, s
www.gordonfraserfinearts.com
about the show:
Internal observations. Initial interpretations. Looking to memories, emotions, and imaginings as inspiration, the paintings are introspections. Arising and emerging simply and unpredictably – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly – with clumsiness and grace, tentatively and with force. Observing the inner relationships – the interrelationships of shape, form, color, structure, gesture, and the resulting perceptions of space. Beginning with a question: What would that look like? What if?
A presence, an evocation, an inspiration. Will you stand and look? Introspect? Paintings ask us to be present and observe. Present with them and with ourselves, if only for a moment, in the way that we are present with our partners, a mountain vista, or our own thoughts and our own breath. They are the beginnings of creating and exploring some of the limitless possibilities of inspiration. They are introversions.
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Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
The Life of a Painting
The new year is here and I have been thinking for a long time to post more frequently and to begin to both articulate my own thoughts on painting and art and to open up a forum for discussion.
As always I am almost constantly reading and recently picked up The Writings of Robert Motherwell (The Writings of Rober Motherwell @ amazon.com) off of my bookshelf. I've tried several times to read selections from it but have never been drawn in. This time however it seems that almost every piece I read I get a couple of awesome nuggets.
The following is from an essay titled "Preliminary Notice to Apollinaire's The Cubist Painters."
"Some speak as if all cubism had been a mode of showing an object from four sides. Apollinaire saw more deeply: 'The canvas should present that essential unity which alone can elicit ecstacy.' He understood that the unity of a work depends on its internal relations, and consequently why the cubists were led to deny the claims of representation in favor of structure."
What painting in the 20th century has shown us is that the life of a painting is in its surface and its structure not its content, be that representational or non-representational. If the surface-structure of a painting is weak the painting feels dead to the viewer. In other words, the relationship with the viewer culminates in disappointment or worse indifference.
Gordon Fraser
14 January 2007
©2008 Gordon Fraser.
All Rights Reserved.
www.gordonfraserfinearts.com
As always I am almost constantly reading and recently picked up The Writings of Robert Motherwell (The Writings of Rober Motherwell @ amazon.com) off of my bookshelf. I've tried several times to read selections from it but have never been drawn in. This time however it seems that almost every piece I read I get a couple of awesome nuggets.
The following is from an essay titled "Preliminary Notice to Apollinaire's The Cubist Painters."
"Some speak as if all cubism had been a mode of showing an object from four sides. Apollinaire saw more deeply: 'The canvas should present that essential unity which alone can elicit ecstacy.' He understood that the unity of a work depends on its internal relations, and consequently why the cubists were led to deny the claims of representation in favor of structure."
What painting in the 20th century has shown us is that the life of a painting is in its surface and its structure not its content, be that representational or non-representational. If the surface-structure of a painting is weak the painting feels dead to the viewer. In other words, the relationship with the viewer culminates in disappointment or worse indifference.
Gordon Fraser
14 January 2007
©2008 Gordon Fraser.
All Rights Reserved.
www.gordonfraserfinearts.com
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