Robin´s Gold Leaf Gallery: Large African Trees

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Large African Trees

There exists a smaller version of this painting but in a mirror image reflection. The framing was also done by me.

Title: Large African Trees
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 130*97cm
Year: 2000

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Artist Statement

I create because I can not help it. It is an addiction that I have not been able to get ride of , but on the other hand, I truly like my addiction and I do not want to be cured. There is this innate habit that makes humans what they are: the unexplainable need to create. We all create to some degree or another; some sculpture, paint, draw, design jewellery or invent meals. This reminds me of what Pablo Picasso said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up”. Some create with more passion and frequency than others, and I like to think of myself as one of those .

I prefer to create using gold/silver leafed canvases as my foundation, with the addition of other objects attached to the canvas. This method of creating is commonly known as “Assemblage”. Assemblage is an artistic form or medium usually created on a defined substrate that consists of three-dimensional elements projecting out of or from the substrate. It is similar to collage, a two-dimensional medium. It is part of the visual arts, and it typically uses found objects, but is not limited to these materials.

My preference of objects at the moment is electronic circuit boards. Digital circuit boards are so ubiquitous that they exist in all electronic items that we use on a daily bases. They have a had a profound negative effect on our world in terms of the pollution that is caused in their construction as well as their deposal. We all need to think and act responsibly about recycling our old electronic equipment. However, each circuit board is an object of art in it’s own right, and an art object of another’s creation, therefore adding to the continuity of the work that I’m in the process of making. When I hold a “motherboard” in my hand, I can not help but marvel at the patterns created by the circuits, the way that the precious metals reflect off the surface and the placements of the chips. When holding the board, my mind begins to ask. “How can I use this gorgeous, but rather redundant piece? It is just too fascinating toss it out, without a second thought” . When I mention these ideas to some people, they do look at me like I’m missing a few marbles. Maybe I am, but it always makes me smile inwardly.

The process of creating my art is as follows: After I have prepared the canvas with gold and silver leaf, and having antiqued and stressed the metal, the circuit boards or any other objects that suit me at the time, are added. Only once I’m satisfied with the layout and positioning of the circuit boards, does the painting commence. Usually with a combination of acrylics and oils. Unfortunately I can not lay claim to being the inventor of this technique. The origin of the art form dates to the cubist constructions of Pablo Picasso (1912-1914) The origin of the word (in its artistic sense) can be traced back to the early 1950s, when Jean Dubuffet created a series of collages of butterfly wings, which he titled “assemblages d'empreintes”.

There seems to be a never ending challenge to do, make or experiment with physical things. In my experimentation, I have used traditional as well as contemporary objects, and as a result my art was born. Gold and silver leaf paintings are the offspring of my fecundate creatively.

So with great pleasure and pride I present my oeuvre to you, and hope that in observing my art, you will experience the same joy that I had in its creation.

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions:

2018 - Casa do Tempo - Castanheiro do Tempo, Portugal.

2016 - Banco Portugal Leiria, Portugal

2014 – Restaurant Casa M, Figueira do Foz, Portugal

2012 – Restaurant Moinho de Rouco. Leiria, Portugal

2010 - Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Portugal.

2008 - Villa São Marcos - Telheiro, Portugal.

2008 - Orfeão Velho - Leiria , Portugal.

2007 - Signal Art Centre - Ireland.

2007 - Galeria Capitel - Leiria, Portugal.

2006 - Signal Art Centre - Ireland.

2006 - Casa do Tempo - Castanheiro do Tempo, Portugal.

2004 - Galeria Capitel - Leiria, Portugal.

2004 - Barrington’s Sports club - Vale do Lobo, Algarve, Portugal.

2003 - Municipal Library Alfonso Lopes Vieira - Leiria, Portugal.

Collective Exhibitions

2015 - Art Show, Expoeste, Centro Empresarial do Oeste, Portugal

2014 – PerArte – Terras de Peralta, Portugal

2014 – Art Show, Expoeste, Centro Empresarial do Oeste, Portugal

2012 – Arte Algarve – Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal

2012 - Cultural Centre of Mercês – Lisbon, Portugal

2010 - ARTM – Association of Rehabilitation of Drug Users – Macau

2009 - Orfeão Velho - Leiria, Portugal.

2009 - Instituto Politécnico da Juventude - Leiria, Portugal.

2004 – Barrington’s Sports Club – Algarve, Portugal

2003 - 111 Bienal Artes Plásticas - Nazaré, Portugal.

2003 - 11 Bienal de Artes Plásticas - Escolas e Jardins de Serra, Portugal.

2002 - Exposalão de Batalha - Batalha, Portugal.

2001 - Galeria 57 - Leiria, Portugal.