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Abstraction et représentation: la présence humaine fugitive [Retour à la page d'accueil] [Liste complète des articles...] Par William J. R. Curtis, artiste et historien de l'art Mes 'paysages mentaux' distillent mes impressions de la nature, tout en évoquant des thèmes de la mémoire et des mythes. L'abstraction est pour moi le moyen de condenser l'esprit en explorant des idées poétiques et d'éprouver l'ordre qui se cache derrière le monde visible. Les lignes et les voiles de couleurs ondoyantes suggèrent le mystère de l'eau, de la géologie, de la lumière et du paysage tout en faisant allusion aux forces et aux présences qui se tiennent derrière les phénomènes. Comme pour la calligraphie, il y a une unité d'expression entre la main et l'esprit, entre la matière et le geste. Toutes les lignes dynamiques devraient se résoudre dans le calme. Mes oeuvres évoquent un tranquille espace de méditation. Abstraction and Representation: the Passing Human Presence My abstract paintings and drawings suggest many things - the sea, clouds, rock strata, the forest, the rhythms of dance - and yet they cannot be pinned down to any particular subject. They remain ambiguous. There is a strong emphasis on materials, yet the aim is to explore the immaterial. A work of art may suggest the layers, levels, traces and atmosphere of landscape while evoking some invisible spirit. In turn it may touch some hidden recesses of the memory and the imagination. Form and idea need to achieve a vital tension. Active lines may register an almost human presence but without recourse to obvious representation. A work of art should communicate before it is understood. My 'Mental Landscapes' distil my impressions of nature while also evoking memories and mythical themes. For me abstraction is a way of condensing meaning, exploring poetic ideas and probing the hidden order behind the visible world. The hovering lines and veils of colour suggest the mystery of water, geology, light and landscape while hinting at the forces and presences which lie beyond phenomena. As in calligraphy, there is a unity of expression between hand and mind, medium and gesture. All the dynamic lines should resolve in stillness. My work aspires towards a tranquill mental space for meditation. My sources of inspiration include twentieth century abstraction, textiles, maps, calligraphy, Australian Aboriginal bark paintings, even ancient cave paintings. I believe that a powerful abstraction enables one to fuse new unities and to give shape to a mythic content, combining personal and historical resonances. One tries to find a language to give shape and sense to one's existence, to embody one's world view. Abstraction allows one to approach the generic and the typical while also alluding to several realities at once. Forms then take on a potent ambiguity and contribute to a metamorphosis in which one thing changes into another in a sea of indeterminate signs. © William J.R. Curtis, July 2007 |