Indepth Arts News:
"The Square Root of Drawing"
2006-10-25 until 2006-12-02
Temple Bar
Gallery and Studios
Dublin, ,
IE Ireland
The winter exhibition at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios gives focus to new
directions in contemporary drawing. The Square Root of Drawing, opening on
25th October and featuring new work by over ninety Irish and International
artists, provides an ambitious and timely survey of contemporary drawing
and its infinite variations. Each of the participating artists have been
invited to respond to a specific brief and produce a new drawing to
measure 12” x 12” square with no limit to content or to materials used.
The resulting exhibition exemplifies an extraordinary range of artists all
currently engaged in making wry, playful, thought- provoking and inventive
works on paper, other media and in animated format.
Traditionally, drawing was regarded as an integral part of training for
any painter or sculptor. Its close association with preparation however,
meant that for a long time drawing was regarded as secondary to the
‘established’ arts of painting and sculpture. Yet, in contemporary
practice as throughout history, before an artist picks up a paintbrush,
begins to model in clay, to plan an installation or a performance there’s
always an idea, frequently articulated by initial marks and gestures.
Often this is what makes drawing so compelling, its capacity to
spontaneously express, to convey ideas distilled to their essence.
Conversely, at the other end of the spectrum there is also drawing as
something detailed, elaborate and expansive. The Square Root of Drawing
encompasses both extremes and everything in between. What is clearly
evident and what distinguishes contemporary practice from its historic
roots is that there is now both an emergent and established generation of
artists for whom drawing represents a core part of their practice and, for
many, their primary activity.
The current resurgence of interest in drawing among artists, collectors
and the public alike is significant. In the face of a hyper real society,
its low-tech appeal resonates and the simplicity of drawing becomes
something fresh and direct with an appeal that crosses the generational
divide. The Square Root of Drawing demonstrates that an ancient art form
is currently being revitalised and that artists now are redefining and
pushing the boundaries of drawing in every conceivable direction so that
practices today range from the epic to the minute, from black and white to
full psychedelic colour, from marks on paper to complex animated forms and
‘inclinations’ towards the three dimensional.
The Square Root of Drawing at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios offers a
critical survey of International contemporary drawing from three
curatorial perspectives: firstly, observing drawing as a primary practice,
secondly investigating its elemental place within artists’ wider practice
and lastly exploring drawing as a method of achieving final works in other
media such as painting or sculpture. The exhibition presents Irish
audiences with the opportunity to discover what is current
internationally, as well as the occasion to view and potentially purchase
works by both Irish and International figures. The curator’s selection
criteria placed considerable emphasis on those artists who in their use of
the medium have a developed a distinct visual language. Notably, with
participating artists from Cuba, Mainland Europe, Uruguay, United States
and Japan, The Square Root of Drawing brings together artists who have not
previously exhibited in Ireland.
Edwina Ashton, Joe Biel, Heather Boaz, Jesse Bransford, Jemima Brown,
Bettina Carl, Mark Clare, Liadin Cooke, Gary Coyle, Russell Crotty, Shane
Cullen, Colin Darke, Katja Davar, Kate Davis, Alexandra do Carmo, Katy
Dove, Blaise Drummond, Brendan Earley, Clodagh Emoe, Amanda Faulkner,
Brian Fay, Paul Flannery, Anna Friedel, Laura Gannon, Mark Garry, Joy
Gerrard, Franiska + Tim Gilmans, Ilana Halperin, Mike Haskett, Bjorn
Hegardt, Diango Hernandez, Susanna Heron, Katie Holten, Yuko Ichimura,
Jaki Irvine, Wendy Judge, Atsushi Kaga, Susan Kemenyffy, Sol Kjøk, Tim
Knowles, Ansel Krut, Katharine Lamb, Ricardo Lanzarini, Roisin Lewis,
Cedar Lewisohn, Caroline MacCarthy, David Mackintosh, Bea MacMahon, Alice
Maher, Niamh McCann, Andrew McDonald, Eoin McHugh, Paul McKinley, Michael
McLoughlin, Zoe Mendelson, Florian Merkel, Nick Miller, Rosalind
Nasashibi, Áine NicGiollaCoda, Isabel Nolan, Glexis Novoa, Beth
O'Halloran, Eamon O'Kane, Vanessa O'Reilly, Sally Osborn, Michael Paré,
Graham Parker, Alan Phelan, Garrett Phelan, Steven Pippin, Daphne
Plessner, Adam Putnam, Linda Quinlan, Damien Roach, Risa Sato, David
Sherry, Sigga Bjorg Sigurdardottir, Lucy Skaer, Terry Smith, Susan Tiger,
Jane Topping, Rob Voerman, Ulrich Vogl, Martin Walde, Pat Walker, Joe
Walker, Corban Walker, Grace Weir, Mikkel Wettre, Miranda Whall, Simon Wood
Sol Kjøk has maintained a Basic Portfolio at absolutearts.com since
2002. View more of her work at http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/s/solazul/
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