Aries, Francois
Artist Statement
The last year has been a period of change for me. I have often felt between what was yet to come and what had been. The preposition can indicate a connection as well as a separation, which images well the ambiguity I sometimes felt. In 2007, my interest largely shifted from sparse and spacious paintings to busier ones. The depth attainable in wide open fields has lost none of its attraction for me. However, I have wanted to give these fields a contrasting context and to explore the effect. So, my focus didn’t simply shift from one to many, rather, it moved from one to between one and many.
Mark Rothko once wondered aloud about what takes place between paintings once the gallery lights go out and no-one is watching them. What could take place? If a painting is a thought, a silent conversation might pass between several of them. If a painting is music, perhaps one will hum a silent tone, and the many respond, in tension or harmony. In any case, the idea could also point to the cohesion of a series, to the inner structure that relates each one to the many others.
A number of the compositions in this series are split vertically in two contrasting fields. The one on the left is characterised by a single expanse, whereas the right field is peopled with multiple stripes. That configuration, with its inherent tension between one and many, is fertile in metaphors and became a central focus in my exploration.
The composition seems to encourage a horizontal reading. Whether one reads left to right or the other way is a matter of preference. The choice though will surely result in different meanings. For instance, the reading could start from one original state on the left and proceed through many transformations on the right. Just as plausibly, it could be read as successive chapters of a narrative on the right resolving into one outcome on the left.
The same composition also invites a comparative exercise between stripes. The eye may begin in a sauntering mode, picking up differing details at high speed on the many stripes. It may then delve into the one field on the left for a deepening rest, like a dive into coolness or sleep, only to return to activity later. The concept abstracted here could be the relation between the two contrasts of singular/plural and rest/activity.
The title of this series could equally be a reference to one artist and many viewers. The moments of actual contact are as rare as they are swift. While I work alone in my studio, the many faceless viewers exercise a presence of some kind. I wouldn’t say I maintain an imaginary conversation with them, yet a certain awareness of being watched permeates the space between me and them. This keeps me more alert.
I am sure other interpretations of this title exist. Let the search be endless. Let it be like the painting, about itself at the same time as it evokes something else. Let it be as abstract art itself, resisting encapsulation and remaining open to future thoughts.
François Aries (March 2008)
back to artist page
