Issue 19 April 7, 2011

Abstract Expressionism: Elizabeth Neel (1975 - )

In an interview that I read with Neel, the author describes the interior of her studio: “Tacked to the wall are fascinating and repellant images: a pile of decomposing dogs, an MRI of a skeleton inside its mummy casing.”

Neel said that she likes to “get in there and tangle things up...bring them to the edge of collapse. I want to feel anxiety about whether or not it's a painting.”

Her interest in nature and in death is prevalent in her work.

She was heavily influenced by an event in her childhood: the discovery of a massacre in the chicken coop. One of the chickens was partially consumed, revealing its reproductive system. She traced the stages of life, beginning with a yoke and ending with an egg – all preserved in the moment of death. She says, “life, and nature

underneath it, is a baroque, mysterious thing that hangs precariously on a framework of elegant reason.”

Neel searches the internet for anonymous images, the kind that are difficult to look at – accidents, violence, decay. Whatever provokes uneasiness in her becomes something she wants to work with. She often combines several different and unrelated images and makes sketches from them. This may be the case, but her paintings are not planned out. They change as she paints them. Brushstrokes suggest alterations and might send her back to look for other images to work from, where a painting's orientation may also change. From the article, I discovered that the subject matter of many of her paintings is decomposition; the way she approaches her activity as a painter, for all the build up and density, amounts to a kind of de-composition, and the way that she articulates her process is nearly forensic.

“The titles of Neel's paintings can convey a sense of dread, punishment, and terror, and no more so than when they are read sequentially. For example, “Condemned”, “Chained”, “Strung Up”, “Sacrificed”, “Torn Down”. Prompted by the titles, these otherwise abstract paintings reveal their animalistic/ritualistic contents, which have been slowly, yet graphically rendered, and remind us that the canvas is a skin, that pigment comes from the Earth and is related to bodily fluids (her reds are often “bloody” and her whites “fleshy”), and that the paintbrush is, after all, part equine.”

Featured Artist: Peter Dunckelmann (1942 - )

I “met” Peter Dunckelmann on Facebook, but I cannot remember how we made the initial connection. I think it was via another artist.

Dunckelmann studied two semesters of art/photography but he claims he “found no freedom of expression”. Without formal training in art or graphic design, he taught himself, so he tends to “not have any rules to break and no 'standard manual' in my mind. I am not influenced by ideas of what art or graphic design should be.”

For quite some time Dunckelmann had been embracing digital technology, be it photo-montage or collage.

Some of Dunckelmann's favorite artists include Kurt Schwitters, Edward Hopper, Hannah Arendt, Marianne Breslauer, and Martin Munkacsi. He is inspired by his surroundings. He gets inspiration walking through town, and takes photographs. He sees pictures everywhere, an old fence, shadows, and everyday things. People often ask him: "What are you photographing?". When he points it out, they often say, "That's no picture." He uses post-production to best render the images, whether it is black and white or color. Which one he uses depends mainly on the subject matter. In his opinion, most pictures improve in black and white when compared with a color version. I agree that for some subject matter, black and white does lend a particular mood you can't create with color.

Driven by a fascination for abstract patterns, Dunckelmann experiments with distorted brightly colored forms, which he assembles with deliberate crudeness. He also finds inspiration through experimenting, which fosters the creation of new forms. As he explores, he learns to value the process and value the learning he gains from it. Digital technology allows him to create images the way he always wanted to. The realization process takes place while he's “going crazy trying to put all the pieces together.” When this process goes too slowly, he sometimes collects all the relevant pieces and reuses them. Closing his eyes, he listens to beautiful, mesmerizing music, and it gives him assistance in finding the right color. He claims that the finished images don't represent something concrete, per se. He is constantly looking for creatively interesting compositions combining a collection of

shapes, colors, and texture.

Dunckelmann has had two shows in Melbourne. He feels he “got cheated by amateurish gallery owners with no real care for art or the artist and decided to be my own manager. The traditional gallery system is dying and thanks to the internet one is able to create a web site, maintaining an online presence in order to be independent of commercial galleries, to have my freedom. After tax, profit is entirely ones own, no expenses like rent for gallery space, etc. I am grateful to experience the boundless possibilities of the internet; to be able to make the acquaintance with artists distributing their work and ideas everywhere via the web.”

Dunckelmann can be found on the internet.

What I’ve Been Up to Lately:

I've been doing a fair amount of painting, and have been pleased with the results. I have also had some success selling paintings at the restaurant; mostly small ones and 24 x 30s. Here are a few:

“Storm”, 24 x 30.

“Sunset II”, 12 x 12.

“Blue Moon”, 12 x 12.

I've decided to take a break from using texture in my paintings. I want to work on an even canvas, and apply the paint more thinly. This will not only benefit me practically, by using less paint, but it will allow for better transitioning between colors.

There is an art show this month that would have been nice to participate in, but I chose to spend the money on a used camera. There will be other opportunities. Delores designed, and had built, a display which will go under the tent she also got for me. It will look very professional, but takes some time to assemble. It will be easier to assemble than the other display we had, however; that one was made of chicken wire and wood and didn't fit together very well. The other disadvantage is that it is a little heavy and requires use of a drill bit to assemble.

Poem of the Month:

I am burping sushiRevisiting my foodThat was shared on the floorWith my one and onlyAnd the stinky oneThe dog, that isGulp it downAnd don’t cherishGive the taste buds a quick checkBefore it’s all gutsAnd no gloryRiding homeWorse for wearAnd then followw the animalWith bag of plasticScooping up remainsOf ginger, peasAnd whatever elseShe sneaks in when I am not lookingNow staring at yet another screenLooking for informationAnswersWanting to callBut sitting on my hands insteadHope you are restfulAnd thinking of meWith a smile

October 2004

Quote of the Month:

The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.- Michelangelo

Celeste J. Heerycjh @cjhfineart.com www.cjhfineart.com