Monday, January 17, 2011

1996 (Part 1)

The years, as I have labeled each of these posts, act more as a rough chronology for the work as it progressed. Some of the 1995 work may have very well been done the year prior or after. I rarely signed and dated the pieces, and I would often wait long periods between photo-documentation sessions. One may also call into question whether or not there was a progression at all in the work. Nevertheless, I did try some new techniques as the years wore on, and it is by these distinctions I present the work.

As I look at the next batch, I am aware that the work is milder, more sometimes refined than the earlier work. As the lines become smoother, I must have begun to consider surface, for all of this series is painted with acrylics. (Perhaps I should have mentioned earlier that all of the clay after 1994 was an air-drying polymer/clay mix.) I have also reincorporated found objects, and I believe this time they add a bit more to the narrative of each piece.

You Get

My Little Anger

Latent Duck

Trouble with Product

Unsuspecting

Baby Bear

Mischief at Hand

Relief

"Mischief at hand" and "Relief" represent another, if small, shift in the work in that they are wall pieces. 

I will conclude the series tomorrow.


2 comments:

Memphis MOJO said...

I'm enjoying your work, even though it's over my head.

bastinptc said...

Thanks, MM. Your comment reminds me of a conversation with a Chicago art critic some time after earlier pieces in this series had been exhibited. He said that when he first saw the work, he had no idea what I was trying to say. Six months later, he had some understanding for himself, although I do not know that I was told what that specifically was.

The best we can hope for sometimes is an enjoyment that stays with us long enough to perhaps makes a few connections to other things we come across.