Exercise 3.2

Slow

From the three given options I have chose Option 1: Gradual destruction using drawing or painting.

This exercise is to take an image (either one you have made yourself or else a found image) and to gradually deconstruct it.

How you do this is open to interpretation; the processes need to be slow to occur or take place, your image may need to dissolve, deteriorate.

Regularly document the stages of the process, either by photocopying or scanning the work.

When the process is finished lay out the images you have taken in a storyboard format, either by printing out and arranging or on a digital post, remember to number them.

First of all I wanted to see how this process worked so I researched Gustav Metzger:-

Gustav Metzger was born in 1926 in Nuremberg, a German artist and political activist who develop the concept of Auto-Destructive art

Metzger is most famous for his demonstration of his Auto-Destructive art at the Temple gallery in London on 22nd June 1960.

A white sheet of nylon was stretched across a Paine of glass of which Metzger was hidden behind from the audience, using a paintbrush he applied a hydrochloric acid solution to the fabric, it dissolved the nylon, creating a glue like coating on the glass that Metzger appeared through.

It was re-created in 2004 and 2015 at Tate Modern in London

Metgzer (G) 1926 [Nylon and acid] Auto-Destructive Art 1960, remade 2004, 2015 Tate Modern.

I wasn’t sure in which direction to pursue this exercise, do I draw over a picture in a magazine? Do I paint an over one of my illustrations with a new one? Do I cut up one of my illustrations?

I looked up Deconstruction art on Google to find some more examples of the art, a lot where literally disrupting the art like a canvas set on fire, and the remains just seen.

Stabbing and cutting at a canvas so its in shreds.

collaging over a drawing with cut up bits of another drawing.

These all seemed good ideas, but literally quite destructive, and as much as I would like to get out of my comfort zone and try these, in this day and age I don’t think it’s quite appropriate, and obviously Gustav Metzgers art was to show and make a point about commercialism, it’s more appropriate these days to show ways of re-using.

So with that I thought more about destruction in a way that then could be restructured into something new.

I started by looking through my canvases to find a painting that I didn’t like anymore, I had one in mind that I was intending to paint over anyway, so thought this could work out well for both.

The original painting was painted with acrylics, it was a cloudy sea scene an abstract piece I did a few years ago to go with a series I was painting.

Originally I was going to paint over the original with a coloured acrylic, but found some Gesso in my cupboard so thought this would be a better idea, as I can then re-use the canvas after, I didn’t want to completely destroy the canvas (rip it up) as that would be wasteful in this day and age.

I started with a few layers, but after the first few lines I knew it would need a few coats to cover over the original paint work, and picture.

I let this whole layer dry before I started the next layer.

I chose to add thicker layers this time around, I also moved the canvas around so the lines went in the opposite direction this time, so there would be less friction and texture overall.

I decided to give it a third coat (layer) as I could still see some of the old colour coming through, and wanted it to be as white as possible for any new work I decided to do on it at a later date.

So I waited for this layer to dry again, this will take longer as it’s thicker and because it has another layer underneath.

I moved the canvas round again to stop the lines forming with the paint, then I did another thick coat so the background would fully disappear.

Reflection

What did you find most challenging

I think I found the most thing challenging was actually deciding what to do, I wanted to complete the exercise but didn’t want to destroy anything just for the sake of it. I think this process was the best outcome for both the exercise and taking part and my own views on waste.

Is using a slow process something you’ve used before?

I think in art and illustration some things are quite a slow process anyway, a lot of illustrations take a few days complete, if I’m working with watercolour you create depth through layers, so you have to wait for the paint to dry. It’s the same with oil painting, you have to wait for the paint to dry, before applying another coat or for you to be able to move the canvas without it smudging.

Would you do this again? and if so what would you change or approach differently?

I think a lot of my canvas work has been treated in this way, if there is a painting I have done and I don’t like it I will put it aside until I’m positive I want to paint over it, then I’ll cover it in Gesso and start again.