Statement
In this project I re-created a piece of descriptive text in to a painting that could either illustrate or replace the original text. The text focus’ on a ‘copper giant’[1] with ‘immense form,’[2] and ‘overwhelming intensity.’[3] I wanted to reciprocate these quotes as visuals and feelings through colour, form and texture. Along side my own interpretations of the text and initial ideas I had imagined, artist influences became prominent in my process.
Looking at art in the the 20th Century led me to combine two important art focus’ of that time- The extensive use of gold paint, and the Cubism movement. Gold was a sign of sacred power and importance, which links directly to the theme I intend to portray. One of the key influences on my work has been Yves Klein’s gold paintings, Klein uses gold to “impregnate the painting and give it eternal life.”[4]
Influences from the Cubism movement allowed me to re-think ideas of how to present a large scale figure without painting on a huge scale. Similar to Pablo Picasso cubism style, I have split the the canvas into sections revealing only parts of the figure instead of a whole image- which I intend to be more intriguing for the viewer. The alternate sections are painted gold to put emphasis on the choice of colour and its qualities. Through this combination I hope to reveal the idea and presence of a ‘giant copper being.’[5]
In order to create a better sense of life and movement into my painting, I used gold painted string to separate the sections and add textural detail to the form of the figure- this material is suitable because of its flexibility to create straight and bent lines. The combinations of sections of gold paint with contrasting imagery of a copper body, lined with twists of gold string outlining detail merge together to be viewed as a whole.
[1] Fantasy artwork descriptive text “Copper Man.”
[2](Ibid)
[3] (Ibid)
[4] http://mediation.centrepompidou.fr/education/ressources/ENS-Klein-EN/ENS-Klein-EN.htm#or (accessed 30/11/15)
[5] Fantasy artwork descriptive text “Copper Man.”
