-click for larger image-
On and off, i've been working on this series since 2002(?), starting with 4 wooden 24" square panels (the 3 pieces on the left, and the 4 red pieces on the right have been sawed off not too long ago this year). It's been a real pain both with the subject matter and physically working and reworking the surface of each piece.
Here are some close-up images of the red pieces where the wood has been carved and gauged away:
The black layer is revealed from scratching off the red pink surface.
The yellowish tan color is the raw wood being exposed.
The blue is the layer beneath the black.
<-- This image here was at one point the 'final' state of one of the original 4 square panels... until it got cut into 3 pieces... At first, i was really satisfied with how it turned out - all very nice and clean-cut without being too rigid, i thought. But then one day the black just got too much. It was just such an empty artificial piece of crap that was trying to be all deep and abstract. -cut up into three pieces below- 
You see here with all these pieces i have right now, everything is somewhat all over the place, a frustrating mess. I won't even address the blue and orange piece (next to the red pieces in the first picture at the top) except to say that it has quite a few layers of nothingness.
As trite as it may be, i started with the idea of 'inside/outside', which had/has been a constant theme in my work in one way or another. The black is the 'inside', which on good days represents inner strength, and on other days, it is just everything dark and empty. 'Outside' is whatever that juxtaposes with the black. Well, as it is, this idea is not going too far for me...
<---BUT, i do love love this painting that came out of all this mess. I must say though, 
that's kewl that ur painting w/the blue square makes u really happy
ReplyDelete(my "happy dress" that I sent u a pic of yesterday also makes me happy)
so guess which paintings of the black series are my favorites...
hmmm...could it be the redddd ones? you know, the pictures look better than the real thing. the real thing of the red pieces are really crappy-looking. i kid you not.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this post. I have to say that I LOVE the photo from when you first thought it was finished and before you cut it up. I love the rest too.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the post that was deleted? Was it a mean comment from a stranger?
ReplyDeleteYeesss, u got it! I doubt I'd agree that it's crappy-looking, Mieny.
thanks, Jan, for what you wrote. i'm not sure if you would still like the before painting if you saw it in person though. the photo is a little off but it was the only picture i have of it before i chopped it up.
ReplyDeletebut i'm glad you like it anyway. i may keep part of the piece the way it is.
Grace, that post was by me. i was going ask if you always wore that tie with the dress but thought it was not really relevant. you look great in your happy dress w/ and w/o the tie!
:-D No, that was the tie that Antny wore with his... REDDDD shirt... but that'd be kewl to wear it all the time with it, ey?? I will be wearing it again to a wedding in 2 weeks! Lets see if I wear it. U gave me a kewlio idear, thank you!
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