Posted in Uncategorized on April 4th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment
‘If I were a tree among trees, a cat among animals, this life would have a meaning or rather this problem would not arise, for I should belong to this world. I should be this world to which I am now opposed by my whole consciousness and my whole insistence upon familiarity.’
-Albert Camus
Man has long called for clarity in our world, striving to recognise, categorise and order. In response to this Peter Carrington has produced a series of technical drawings of birds and animals mimicking scientific diagrams, but devoid of information and taken away from their textbook context. These depictions of nature operate simply as depictions, and do not offer an insight into nature itself.
These images stir up the paradoxes of this human need for meaning in a world where this logic cannot be found. The drawings contain the linear devices of biological taxonomy but none of the textual explanations, leaving the viewer striving to make sense of the images whilst knowing that they cannot. It is when we accept that these drawings hold nothing of the subjects essence our questioning becomes ontological. Instead of wanting to understand the properties of the subject we begin to question how the properties of the subject relate to the subject itself. Do beings exist other than in modes of objectivity and subjectivity? What can be said to exist? Things we normally accept unquestioningly are thrown into doubt and even the nature of physical existence becomes uncertain.
‘When we perceive and consider the existence, life and activity of any natural creature, e.g. an animal, it stands before us, everything zoology and zootomy teaches notwithstanding, as an unfathomable mystery’
-Arthur Schopenhauer
Posted in Uncategorized on February 25th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment
Out-staring the Emptiness is a new series of paintings by Philip Elbourne. The paintings consist of monochrome gloss figures on a matt background of the same colour. As such, the paintings respond to the conditions of light around them, seeming from some angles to be completely blank while from others reflecting surrounding colours. As the viewer moves around the painting, the effect changes. Through this physical interaction the viewer is involved in the piece, becoming a participant in the progressive struggle against the emptiness.
The unknown is a vast, dark expanse into which the artist stares, attempting to make out some sort of form or meaning. If he stares long enough, the darkness will give in and recede, allowing human understanding to edge forward, however meagrely. It is this fear and fathoming of the emptiness that is addressed in this new series of paintings.
“The human mind has gained a new strength by out-staring this emptiness.”
Private View: Monday 15th March from 8pm
Posted in Uncategorized on January 30th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment
This is the official opening of Grindsmith and also the preview of our first exhibition, paintings by Sean Penlington. Sean will be showing paintings from two different sets of work. The narrative paintings from 2008/2009 make reference to images of soldiers serving during the world wars, exploring politics, propaganda and the perception of time and place. The paintings from 2009/2010 attempt to avoid such set narrative and the playful application of paint sets to challange perception and decision making. Constantly under the threat of abstraction, the paintings offer a double entendre, neither one thing nor the other.
Private View: Monday 15th February from 8pm
