Beginning my examined unit, I changed from the theme of historical events to the theme of Grime culture. Grime is something I wanted to do from the start however held myself back and took the easier option. Therefore, when moving onto looking at Grime culture, I discovered in much more depth how deprived the culture is by societal values. This highly influenced me, and after doing a photoshoot, I found that particular interest within the background of Grime scenes, the “brutal” backgrounds of the photo I had been influenced by. This lead me to thinking in depth about backgrounds and backdrops, the coldness and harshness of how they are presented. Therefore, when I came across Jane Cornwell’s pieces, they instantly struck me, firstly because of the beautiful texture, marks and colours of this piece, and secondly, because I feel it relates really well to the backgrounds of Grime and relates to much of the emotion which flows through the culture. When it came to researching Jane Cornwell, I have found literally sentences of information, not even a birthday. However, I feel the small paragraph she wrote about herself and her work tells me more I need to know than reading a biography about what awards she won and how she grew up. However, I did find out Cornwell studied at Boston University, where she developed her skills of working with the various amounts of mediums she so vastly uses. She then left to Paris IV - Sorbonne, a university in which she continued to study in depth. After graduating from university Cornwell, started to exhibited her work around the world, however especially touring America, where she is based. Cornwell’s work is extremely influence within the topic I have started to study, and I am excited to study her pieces of work in depth. “What calls to me in other areas of my life, also inspires me in the creative process, such as - the present moment, beginner's mind, nuance, paradox, nature, ineffable connections, Buddhism, colour, poetry, lots of different painters/ writers/artists, shadows, light, being open to seeing obstacles as openings and as a vehicle to working into some kind of resolution or further questions. Specifically in art it’s cultivating and working with the willingness to go forward and trust where those most inviolate places within want to direct and take me, and believe that through the process of engagement some connection is made between impulse and a particular result.” (1)
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The piece I am currently looking is a complete explosion of expressive marks, tones and vast in detailed use of mediums. To state the obvious, I find this piece extremely beautiful, the layering of marks which run throughout the piece completely stun me, whilst the pastel pinks and slight blue leave me at ease wanting to continue looking, staring. The centre of this piece contains strong dark tones, which are slightly faded out by the lighter tone of white paint used. Running throughout this piece are drips of paint, they are powerful, and almost look as if they are streaming down the page. The drips vary from light colours to dark, the subtle glimpse of the light drips catch your eye as it makes it’s way across the page. The background to this piece is incredibly complicated in my opinion. They way the colours, tones and lines have been all blended together with certain parts left standing out leaves me baffled, and staring at this piece for longer than I probably should. The form of this piece is 2-D, painted on paper, a completely flat surface. Whilst the variation of mediums used within this piece would mean there would be a slight amount of texture, it still remains a 2-D piece of work. The line within this piece is extremely different to the form. In my opinion there are such a vast amount of linear marks varying from 2-D to 3-D within the piece. The smooth lines such as the strong white tonal piece in the centre of the piece would represent the 2-D types of mark making within this piece. Whereas, the marks such as the drips and small but harsh scratches made throughout the piece add an element of 3-D to this piece.
Tone is something which runs throughout this piece constantly, there is not one single pat of this art work where there isn't an ounce of tone. They fluctuate from light tones to deep and intense dark tones, and everything in between. I feel it is necessary to start with the background of this piece. There is a certain marbled like tone within the bottom corners of the piece, these consist of a type of pink, grey and white tone. The pinker tone is the basis of the piece, then is built upon leaving speckles of grey and flashes of white. Assembled upon that are the dark washes of grey slowly turning into black. This creates a shadowing effect over the piece, the paint underneath any of the dark tones isn't hidden, but somewhat obscured by the deep tones. Whilst I have mentioned the darker tones throughout this piece, I feel the lighter tones are just as powerful, holding there own stance throughout. Part of the lighter tones which attracted me straight away were the almost white striped marks which stream down the page of the centre bottom. They highlight the piece, flowing from the darker tones above it, they draw your attention to the lighter, pinker tones nearer to the bottom of the piece. The lighter tones also appears near the top left hand corner where they subtly create a focal point for the expressive dark marks made. Tone subtle graduates throughout this piece, which creates many layers of various density.
The colours of the piece mainly remain with two tones, the tones of black and white, and the colours of grey, blue and pink. In the terms of using a colour chart, the best way I could describe the three colours would be nearest to the colour, Brilliant Pink, O-H Cold Grey, and O-H Blue grey. Of course it needs to be taken into consideration that the tones of black and white have highly affected how the colours can be seen. The mark making techniques within this piece are extremely expressive. The mediums used to create this piece were “paper, pencil, paint, crayon, gouache, marker”. A mixed media piece means there is a heavier use of texture, the dramatic and energetic marks made within this piece are what give the mark making technique a slight 3-D texture. The strong central marks layered upon the background means the fluent marks are made stand out more. The art work is composed so the viewers perspective is facing straight onto looking at the piece. A rule of thirds is not used within this piece, in my opinion you are drawn in by the darkest toned marks, then work your eye around the various lighter, more faded tones, finally leaving the piece by following the streams of drips down the page.
The title of this piece is “The fluidity of time”. I feel many various references can be taken from the title of this piece, the word time relating to the time you have in life, i.e. the time spent with friends, family and loved ones. The fluidity relating to how a fluid, liquid like the time passes with these people, the memories created always staying within your mind. However, I could link the fact that the faded parts of the piece could relate to the good memories which fade as you get older, becoming weaker and harder to remember, instead being taken over by time. The dark parts of the piece could relate to the illnesses which come with time, i.e. dementia, which takes a person personality, slowly fading them out. Another reason for this piece being created could be the rawness of emotion. Behind all the layers of a person, their fashion, their make up, and even their personality, there is this a rawness of emotion every person has. This pure mixture of emotions could relate to the dark and light colour in which run throughout the piece, such as the pale pinks and blues, relating to happy times, and the obvious dark colours relating to dark times. It is important to look at the piece and register all of these emotions, and the rawness of them, since you cannot experience anything purer.
Cornwell’s work has changed and influenced the way I look at Grime culture. Thinking more deeply about her work has helped me think more deeply about my own work and where I want to take it. I feel the clarity yet fogginess of Cornwell’s mark making style would work really well within my theme. The deep dark tones could be overlooked as messy, or looked as harsher, something to hide away from society, not fitting in with the perfect imaginary we are hand fed by the prestige government we will live under, and I put emphasis on the word under, not alongside. I feel I can link this into my theme of Grime culture beginning so beautiful within itself but pushed away and darken by society. In addition to this, the idea of this piece being a basis of something, a rawness. Therefore I could look into the basis of the Grime culture, the beauty of it being covered up by bad press and other such things. It also has interested me in looking at cultural appropriation, and how this has affected Grime and how it links to my other artists.
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