Expressive Geometry

As soon as artists learned to use linear perspective they questioned its relationship to visual experience.  Da Vinci observed technical failings. He observed the hard edges prescribed by linear perspective flattened the feeling of volume on shapes. Italian mannerists following the late exaggerations of Michelangelo began distorting and curving their figural linear perspective arrangements. El Greco discovered more emotionally charged space when he exaggerated perspective. By the end of the 19th century Van Gogh had invested linear perspective with undulating rhythms (example 1) . A few decades later as we approached world war I Egon Schiele tried compressing space and borrowing aspects of  linear perspective as he painted a village which appears  flattened as through a telephoto lens (example 2).  From Red Grooms to Julie Mehretu Today contemporary artists try other odd distortions and layerings  of linear perspective.

example 1. Van Gogh Village.

example 2. Egon Schiele Village.

I chose midtown Manhattan to receive my perspective distortions. Through layers of animated gestures which  loosely  linear perspective I built a fabric of colored atmosphere, urban luminosity, and textured geometry. I began with paintings which conformed more closely to clear principles of linear perspective. Next, I  superimposed layers of  painterly gestures which were less  faithful to linear perspective. These gestures overlap and collide but, still collude to suggest a geometric illusion of space.   In example 3. I begin with an 18×18 (which I painted during our latest hour-long program on color and design  which you can see on this website). Examples 4 and 5 are two later interpretations of  example  3.  Example 4 is also 18×18 while example 5 is 24×24″. Example 4 uses a set of diagonals on the street which all converge to the same central vanishing point as the buildings. Example 5 slows your entry into the painting by pointing the set of street diagonals toward a vanishing point on the left while the buildings converge to a point on the center right. The effect generates a zig zag motion. The colors in the examples 4 and 5 are not confined to edges of the buildings but, blur like an atmosphere.

example 3. 1st city vortex painting.

example 4. 2nd city vortex painting.

example 5. 3rd city vortex painting.

My next examples all demonstrate my efforts at freeing gestures from explicit shapes. I evoke energy and activity through layers of gesture. I also decrease the quantity of light in relation to the quantity of dark within the paintings. I perceived they were too equal in the amount of light and dark.  This inhibited drama and motion.

In example 6, you see a painting of the interior of the Met Museum’s great hall. The color is anemic when compared with step two ( example 7).  The values and colors demanded more contrast and the light to dark ratio needed to be expanded.

example 6. Met Museum interior step 1.

example 7. Met Museum interior step 2.

Example 8 has an unfortunate repetitive rhythm of light and dark verticals. Example 9 addresses this failing. Additionally, the movement toward a vortex of light encased in dark becomes a more emphatic intention in example 9.

example 8. Times Square Vortex step 1.

example 9. Times Square Vortex step 2.

If I wanted to express a family dwarfed by the luminous vertical immensity of a city then my first attempt in example 10 falls short. In the subsequent example 11 the scale of the city’s looming electric energy becomes more persuasive as the balance between light and dark changes and, as more bravura gestures are introduced.  Example 10 is a 13×13 study, Example 11 presents the follow-up 48×48.

example 10, the 13×13″ study.

example 11, the 48×48″.

If I wanted to convey layered congestion in architecture and traffic then example 12 (step one) fails to deliver a persuasive argument. Example 13, step two, presents more confusion, ambiguity, color, angular tension and energy. Example 13 represents the effect of layering gestural geometry over a clearer compositional rendition of the same image.

example 12. step one, too clear.

example 13, step two, more expressive geometry, more ambiguity.

This week CCNS opens  its 53rd annual art sale fundraiser on June 4th-7th at 4 Trolley place in Rowayton, CT.  As this year’s featured artist I invite you to come. 40% of your purchase price is tax deductible. I have more than 40 paintings on view and sale. You may preorder tickets at ccnsartshow.org for Thursday evening. Thursday (7-10PM) and Friday(6-10PM) offers live music as well. Saturday( 4-8PM)and Sunday(1-4PM) no tickets are needed.