Sunday 27 January 2013

Span

Following the themes for Stockrooms end of year exhibition, Span: exploring connection, distance and the passage of time, I set to work on these two drawings in watercolour and pencil.

'Measurement across time II'. 2012. Watercolour and pencil on paper. 40 x 45cm.
'Measurement across time I'. 2012. Watercolour and pencil on paper. 40 x 45cm.

 I have always found the Imperial standard of measurement to be for more intuitive than the Metric system, as it reflects the proportions of the human body. Imperial measurements explain the space around us and the distance between things in relation to our own bodies- which is how we perceive and comprehend most things anyway.

So this proverbial bee in my bonnet, the changing of such a personal unit of measurement to a cold, and dare I say it, ruthless system, was the inspiration I took hold of to explore the themes of distance, connection and the passing of time.
I was also thinking about the emphasis on materials and craftmanship evident in imperial-measurement-era objects and how a lot of those principles, like tactility, ornate design and the skilled working of natural materials has too fallen by the wayside. I don't know that I can rightly blame this on the introduction of the Metric System, but I do nonetheless.

These works are a kind of meditation on the shift over time from a humanist to a more mathematical/ scientific paradigm. Where our understanding of distance is removed from any relations to our own bodies and a special connection to the space around us is lost in translation.

Or maybe they're just pictures of a whole bunch of rulers...

Either way, these works are now on show at their lovely new home, Stockroom Kyneton.
Follow the links below for Stockroom:
On the web: www.stockroomkyneton.com
Or on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StockroomKyneton?fref=ts


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