 |
| Nic Pehkonen, Orange Form, 2012 Household emulsion paint on unstretched canvas hung off 4 x tarpaulin clips Max dimensions w 170 cm x h 180 cm
This is a single piece of canvas and the idea here was to achieve the impression of two apparently separate forms, one floating in from of the other.
|
 |
| Orange Form (detail) |
 |
| Nic Pehkonen, Green Bunker, 2011 Household emulsion paint on unstretched canvas hung on 4 x tarpaulin clips Widest dimensions - width 224cm x height 180cm This is another painting in my ongoing series of works relating to Military architecture. It has two vertical folds which allowed me to create both triangular and rectangular forms within the overall composition.
Here is a close up view of the surface which shows some of the paint effects I achieved by letting the painting dry face down and then peeling it off the studio floor.
Green Bunker (Detail)
|
 |
Nic Pehkonen, Brown Bunker, 2010
Household emulsion paint on unstretched canvas hung off 4 x
tarpaulin clips
Widest dimensions
224cm x 180cm
This painting is one of an ongoing series
of works that has evolved from a growing interest in military architecture,
associated in particular with the Cold War. This includes a whole array of
(aesthetically) weird and wonderful structures such as bunkers, missile sites,
airfields, hangars, control towers, and radar installations, all usually
involving a lot of concrete and metal.
More often than not I find I am especially
drawn to buildings and places in a state of decay, either brought about through
abandonment or just general wear and tear. There is something about this
combination that has a powerful visual appeal. My intention as an artist is not
to produce accurate or literal representations of buildings but works that are
more suggestive of places or architectural forms and the effects of constant
exposure to the elements, human intervention and the passage of time.
I prefer to work on unstretched canvas as
this allows me the freedom to cut the painting to shape (either before, during
or after the painting process). In this way the canvas becomes fully integral
to the piece as a whole and not just an inert surface onto which an image is
described. I suppose in some ways the finished piece is as much a three
dimensional object as it is a painting.
Working with unstretched canvas also allows
me to exploit the physical properties of the material as part of the painting
process. Shrinkage and slight changing of shape is an interesting by-product of
this. Plus I can work with the canvas on the floor. This gives me the option of
folding the painting over on itself. By doing this when the paint is wet I can
delineate areas without physically painting edges which I think can give a
greater sense of both depth and solidity to the overall composition. I can also
turn the canvas over, allowing it to dry face down before peeling it off the
floor. These various techniques, combined with the cumulative build up of
successive paint layers, often yield intricate and interesting patterns and
textures.
 |
