Final year project
'11' A primitive study of portraiture [Read more]
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A primitivist self portrait. Initially working out the minimum number of gestural marks required to make a recognisable face. The coloured background was pure experimentation, contrasting with the facial colours in the foreground. The facial colours are an addition of depth that align with the limited number of marks, but also acknowledge an importance of aesthetic appreciation, a continually undermined, questioned and balanced thought throughout my work.
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A portrait concentrating on clinical gesturality whilst adhering to the minimalistic style. Colour selection derived from colour theory research and experimentation. As my study continued, paintings began to detach even further from reality, in different directions, pushing the 'portrait' idea as well as the word 'primitive'. In this case a flat finish whilst depicting flow, facial topography and direction.
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Exploration of how a minimalist/primitive portraiture could be interpreted. How can an inferred line portrait sit within different backgrounds.
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Primitive painting style and primitive gesturally. Restrictive application and jagged edges, denoting an instantaneous and responsive application.
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One of the very first larger scale experimentations concentrating on colour matching.
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An attempt to bleed and combine fore and background with a palette and tone akin to Francis Bacon, a big influence in my studies.
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Early self portrait studies. Grasping an understanding of what strokes are required to present a fully featured portrait.
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Initial experimentation image 1 was derived from.
Harvey Turner
Identity-less self portraits
My work is an insight into my idiosyncracies and rules I have developed through experimentation, looking through artists such as the Fauves, Francis Bacon and numerous outsider artists, more specifically in the primitivist era of art. My work has a strong affiliation with colour. However, all characteristics of portraiture, including colour were challenged in a 'primitive' way extensively. Ultimately I hope that my work demonstrates an eagerness to explore and experiment throughout a project with a creative frustration in the validity of my pieces that is the motivating factor to not rest at mediocrity and dwell on stagnation.
Final year project
'11' A primitive study of portraiture