Critical Reflection & Contexts

Here is a record of my critical thinking about my drawing practice from two perspectives, as well as some of the context in which I work.

In my drawing practice, I combined image transfer and pencil drawing to blur the boundaries between picture and drawing. The four steps involved in the creative process of photography, printmaking, drawing, and presenting also made me consider my drawing practice, which consists of two major components:

1. How can a photograph become more than just a photograph?

The specific explanation is as follows: as part of my drawing practice, how should I differentiate the images I utilize in my work from conventional photographic photographs? How can I make my photographs and images appear more like drawings? How might the lines between photography, printmaking, and drawing be blurred? How can you persuade the audience that this is more than just a photograph?

2. How may a drawing be transformed into something more than just a drawing?

This is mostly concerned with the work's presentation format. When a drawing or print is finished, it may appear to be nothing more than a piece of paper, and when displayed on a wall or table, it is nothing more than a drawing. The image transfer and drawing processes are finished, but the creative process is not. How do you choose the proper way to display the work in this step of the final presentation to the viewers so that it looks to be more than just a drawing? And therefore finish the entire creative process?

With these two questions in mind, I will begin with my drawing practice and look critically at creation.

The details of my work, 2023

Part 1:

How can a photograph become more than just a photograph?

Photographs are a wonderful medium for recording objective facts because they can often capture most people or items clearly and precisely. However, using this incredibly objective carrier to the practice of drawing and creating art would cause viewers to question whether they are looking at photography or drawing. “What's the difference between that and a photograph?” “You're simply replicating real-life objects, which have no artistic value; You're not creating anything.”

This type of problem arose during the early stages of creation. I intended to record the camphor trees of my hometown in my distant memories, but I wanted these trees to be subjectively processed through my thoughts rather than accurately and objectively. So, how can I distinguish my work from photographs? After several printing efforts (e.g., etching, litho prints, etc.), I opted for image transfer to create my work. During the image transfer process, I may change the amount of ink thinner, the length of time I spray on the back of the picture, and the strength of the hand printing to impact the final result, so it is not exactly like the photo.

I don't anticipate my work to be perfectly printed as a photograph, but even if it is a full reproduction of a photograph, there are other ways to distinguish it from normal photography.

Making changes to completed artwork:

Victoria Ahrens uses images, prints, music, and video to bridge the gap between the historical and contemporary, with nature's mountains and rocks frequently serving as inspiration. In two of her works, 'Exogene' and 'Caverna', Victoria has shot two images of rocks. They may appear to be typical images, and there is nothing special about them in the photo exhibition, but a closer look reveals that the colours in these two photographs differ. It turns out that Victoria was collecting natural mineral pigments while photographing the rocks, and she applied these mineral pigments to the photographic images by hand to change the effect of the images, which distinguishes these two works from ordinary documentary photography in essence.

Victoria Ahrens,Exogene, 2021, Hand-pigmented photograph

Victoria Ahrens,Caverna, 2021, Hand-pigmented photograph

She transformed the objective thing with her subjective act of art production, transforming it from a photograph to a work of art, a drawing. This also encouraged me to make some varied hues on the image when transferring it. However, according to the principle of the colour composition of printing inks, some of my works accidentally left certain ink colours in the transfer process. The green in these works is an unexpected result, yet it also complements the colour of the leaves extremely well.

The details of my work, 2023

Make changes in the process:

In fact, in addition to secondary processing processes on photographic prints, an image can be modified by subjective modifications during the process of converting it from a camera image to a real-world physical photograph. Printmaking, like early traditional photographic processing procedures, is capable of objectively recreating photos captured with a camera. However, different printmaking techniques can be used to provide different representations of images, even bringing them closer to drawings. In my opinion, the way artists Ansel Adams, Brian Nash Gill, and Alexander Tkachov depict objectivity is an interesting process of excess.

Ansel Adams,Moon and Half Dome, 1960, Photograph, gelatin silver print

Ansel Adams,Dawn, Autumn Forest, Photograph

Ansel Adams' photography can be defined as objective; he photographed the images he saw with his own eyes and did not alter them significantly; therefore, why do his photographs have a high artistic aesthetic value and appear to be drawings? It's about how Ansel Adams utilized the camera: choosing the best composition and viewpoint, adjusting the camera's exposure, and modifying the photo's black and white contrast. The bold lines, the appropriate black and white contrast, and the massive dark colour blocks used to separate the image make it appear to be a landscape drawing.

Brayan Nash Gill, Ash, Paper size: 57” x 57”, Image size: 49 3/4” x 46 1/4”

Brayan Nash Gill, Cedar Burl, 2011

In fact, Bryan Nash Gill's works are also relatively objective, but they are more derived from the interior of an object. When people look at a tree, they may only focus on its exterior but rarely pay attention to what it looks like on the inside. Bryan Nash Gill's works are rich in plant textures, such as the annual rings of the tree's cross-section, the wood grain, mushrooms growing on the tree, and so on.

He covered it with ink and paper using discarded wood and paper, then pressed the paper with his finger to make it more objective. He covered reclaimed wood in ink and paper, then squeezed and scraped his finger on the paper to bring the roughness of the trees to the paper. His work is distinguished by its perspective and presentation from what is seen with the naked eye and camera photography. Bryan Nash Gill and I are both fascinated by natural textures. The natural beauty of trees and mountains should be displayed, and artists can use these delicate textures to communicate their thoughts and feelings.

Alexander Tkachev, Lonely, 2000, bromoil print on Fomabrom

Alexander Tkachev, Dusky evening New York, 2004, bromoil 8x10" on Fomabrom

Photographs by Alexander Tkachev are frequently described as "abstract" and "fuzzy."

Alexander Tkachev's work differs from typical photography in that he uses palladium prints, palladium dichromate gels, dichromate gels, cyanotype originals, bromine oils, and graphite prints to create the illusion of hazy pencil sketches in his images. This is an excellent example of the subjective creation of an objective subject.

It also got me thinking about why I had to print so accurately and clearly when transferring a picture. Wouldn't the work seem more like a drawing if there was some white space and blurring? So I modified the arrangement and weight of the paint thinner spray to create blank and hazy areas in some of the pieces, making the gradient lines look like pencil sketches. As a result, my work combines two approaches: modifying the image's effect during the transfer process and creating a second drawing on the finished object once the transfer is complete. These artists have motivated me to distinguish between photography and drawing, as well as to consider how to blur the lines between photography, printmaking, and drawing. I hope that when people view my work, they will exclaim, “What a beautiful drawing!” instead of “It's just a photo.”

Some details of my work, 2023

Part 2:

How may a drawing be transformed into something more than just a drawing?

My works, whether pencil drawings, etchings, or image transfers, are all classic ways of art creation, and hanging them on the wall in the conventional ways of museum and art gallery shows will only appear stereotyped and uninspired. In contemporary art practice, it is common to use external materials other than nails and glue dots to change the way of presentation (or multimedia image forms and integrated materials). For example, works that should have been hung on the wall are placed on the table or on the floor; works that should have been nailed to the wall are supported by wood or wire; works that should have been two-dimensional are presented in three-dimensional form; static is changed into dynamic; the silent becomes audible; and so on.

My work in the Summer Show, 2023

Because the magnetic powder I used was unable to stick to the drawings, I chose to show my work in a different way. I placed white wood on the table and covered it with acrylic or iron sheet before placing the artwork on top, creating a space between the art and the table. This is actually to help me move the magnetic powder on the drawing by manipulating it with magnets at the bottom of the drawing, but it also piques the viewer's interest. Visitors can see the entire picture at a glance when they enter the gallery if the drawing is simply hung on the wall, but if I place the drawing flat on the table at a certain distance, they will be curious and come in to look at it, and they will also be able to observe the delicate texture of the magnetic powder on the drawing more closely.

I have made a new attempt at this exhibition, but I still need to learn and reflect in order to develop new forms of exhibiting for my works. Rune Bosse, who also uses artwork to display trees, overcomes the limits of two-dimensionality by suspending the leaves of a tree in transparent glass, producing a three-dimensional view. A branch breaks through the glass and wire beneath the suspended glass, making the tree as three-dimensional as reality. Nobuhiro Nakanish's "Layer Drawings - Cloud/Fog" uses inkjet printing on film. Nobuhiro Nakanish hangs them one by one in the air so that guests could enjoy the changing environment on the film as they walk around the pavilion, creating a dizzying visual delight that also provides an immersive experience for the viewer. Victoria Ahrens' Vestiges of the Unearthed (The Light Between Us) series consists of variously edited images. Some of the photographs are supported by sticks, which are optically expanded by the projection of images on either side of them; rolling mountains are neatly sliced into portions of varied lengths, but their tops remain continuous, appearing divided, and yet the same subject. Gary Colclough places his works in wooden frames and combines them into geometric shapes that stretch beyond the frames, enlarging and extending the works in the wooden frames throughout the area, making a whole that expands the visitor's visual sensibilities. A drawing is no longer simply a drawing, and a photograph is no longer just a photograph when presented in this manner. The artist's subjective thinking alters the essence of the work, transforming it from traditional drawing or photography to contemporary art.

Rune Bosse, Tempus Circularis Fagus Sylvatica, 2016, beechwood, glass, wire, 5 x 5 x 5 m

Nobuhiro Nakanish, Layer Drawings - Cloud/Fog, 2005, inkjetprint on film, 100×100cm (100sheets)

Victoria Ahrens, The Light Between Us, 2023, Photographic c type prints, wooden batons, projected film, looped

Victoria Ahrens, Despite it all, 2022, Photograph on vegetal paper, projected collaged moving image, 4 mins 68” looped, wooden batons

Gary Colclough, Once Taken, 2017, Oil paint, birch plywood panel, teak, 21 x 115 x 1.8 cm

In addition to thinking critically about the work, I would like to talk about a range of ideas and contextual elements of my creation.

My subject matter frequently contains abstractions such as memories and emotions, which might seem to be an emotional outpouring, but my main subject matter is my pursuit of drawing. My drawing practice has always been focused on detail, texture, and material practice. When I want to draw the texture of mountains in detail, I attempt to utilize etching because the engraving tool of etching can draw incredibly delicate lines; when I feel that pencil can no longer draw the effect I want, I will draw random textures with magnetic powder instead of brushes. My drawing practice has always been focused on sketching texture effects that are not immediately noticed by most individuals, as well as experimenting with different drawing mediums. As a result, abstract things like memories and feelings, in my perspective, can represent the fundamental theme of my art, but texture, details, and materials can symbolise my pursuit of drawing.

Magnetic powder on my work, 2023

Kibong Rhee's art has delicate brushstrokes and fuzzy landscapes between disappearance and formation, which are typically influenced by his studio's environment: a mountain forest filled with water mist. He depicts the fleeting nature of mist as an analogy to the ephemeral nature of existence in general. The trees in the mist seem to appear and disappear, but they are caught in a state of timelessness. I really admire Bosco Sodi's daring use of materials and textures. His paintings are more than just artworks; they are memories, relics, powerful, and contagious. The massive paintings created from a variety of materials are as eye-catching as vivid scarlet blood. His works are visually stunning when placed in front of the viewer, pulling them into his world and emotions as they look at the texture and material details of the work. Convergence and externality, stillness and passion, subtlety, and boldness are all qualities I strive for in my own drawing practice.

Kibong Rhee, Grey Mirror, 2022, Acrylic, resin, and polyester fiber on canvas, 98.5 x 98.5 cm

Kibong Rhee, Black Shadow ㅡ The Void, 2022, Acrylic, resin, and polyester fibre on canvas, 186 x 186 cm, 73 1/4 x 73 1/4 inches

Bosco Sodi, "Pangaea", 2010, mixed media on canvas, 400 x 1200 cm

Regarding why landscape became the theme of my art, I have always felt that when a person attains a certain aesthetic height and a perspective that is different from other ordinary individuals, his perspective on everything around him changes. Perhaps on a hiking excursion, he will notice that, from a certain angle, the far countryside and the sky overlay look like a piece of art. That is the composition that the brain and eyes observe, and because it has a certain aesthetic value, people will record it with a camera or a paintbrush, and it will eventually become a work of art.

The concept of "picturesque beauty" came to me after reading William Gilpin's Observations on the River Wye: and several parts of South Wales, &c. relative chiefly to picturesque beauty (1770), which has had a significant influence on modern landscape drawing and idylls, and it can be extended to contemporary art practice, where traditional aesthetic perspectives collide with non-traditional creative concepts. As my current creation is related to natural landscape, I also read books related to landscape, nature, and imagery, and I read contemporary art forms with the theme of "nature" and supplemented them with traditional aesthetic theories to create my work.

Imagery is an important concept in my creation. The camphor trees and mountains in my work are imagery. Therefore, I have looked into the history of imagery and read imagistic poetry to understand the concept of "imagery" accurately. The word "imagery" usually refers to a vision of something with abstract feelings and thoughts that emerges after the objective thing has been processed by subjective thinking. It is a conscious image in the brain, produced by human consciousness. The unique nature of imagery as a combination of objective things and subjective consciousness makes it very important in literary creation, and it also gave birth to Imagism, an early twentieth-century poetry movement in Britain and America that advocated precise imagery and clear, sharp language. Ezra Pound, the most representative poet of Imagism, defines imagery in A Few Don'ts by an Imagiste: "An 'Image' is that which presents an intellectual and emotional complex in an instant of time." (Poetry, 1913). This also means that "imagery" is an indispensable product of subjective consciousness in my creations.

The use of imagery in my work is similar to the mood expressed in Chinese landscape painting. Chinese landscape painting is about expressing one's feelings of joy, sadness, or homesickness through the landscape, which is similar to the way I use landscape as imagery in my work. Many different genres of Chinese landscape painting have arisen over thousands of years of development, and in addition to traditional landscape painting, there are genres relating to contemporary art. Boating near Lake Shore with Reeds by Ma Yuan (mid-13th century) is an example of an ancient Chinese landscape painting that uses big white spaces and appropriate brushwork to communicate the author's sadness and thoughtfulness about his unfulfilled ambition. There are numerous representative painters in the contemporary development of Chinese landscape painting. Landscape paintings by Zhu Daoping are crisscrossed with lines and dots, intermingled with complexity and simplicity, and mirroring the actual and the imagination, producing a picture of a clean, serene, elegant, and gentle realm of imagery, giving people a refreshing visual feeling. This demonstrates that, while the brushwork or style of creation is always changing and inventing, the underlying principle of using landscapes as imagery to express feelings has remained constant.

Ma Yuan, Boating near Lake Shore with Reeds, mid-13th century

Zhu Daoping, Autumn Hustle in the Hills, 2005, Ink on paper, 65cm×53cm

My art includes elements of what is happening, what is passing away, what is abstract, what is undetectable, and what is difficult to express. These abstractions can be carried by the mountains, trees, and rocks around me, and I intend to utilize my fine texture drawings to represent abstract subjective things like emotions and memories so that people can pay more attention to, experience, and observe everything in their own lives.

References:

Kate Wilson. (2017). Drawing and Painting :Materials and Techniques for Contemporary Artists

Jeffrey Kastner. (2012). Documents of Contemporary Art: Nature

Pound, Ezra. (March 1913). "A Few Don'ts by an Imagiste". Poetry. I(6)

GIBSON, W.S. (1989). Mirror of the Earth: The World Landscape in Sixteenth-Century Flemish Painting. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

Yves-Marie Allain and Janine Christiany. (2006). L'Art des jardins en Europe, Citadelles and Mazenod, Paris.

Gilpin, William, Observations on the River Wye: and several parts of South Wales, &c. relative chiefly to picturesque beauty; made in the summer of the year 1770, second edition, by William Gilpin, London: printed for R. Blamire, 1789

Rawson, Jessica (ed). The British Museum Book of Chinese Art, 2007 (2nd edn), British Museum Press.

Barnhart, Richard, et al., ed. (2002). Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Cahill, James. (1960). Chinese Painting. Geneva: Albert Skira.

Victoria Ahrens, https://victoriaahrens.com/2023/06/23/vestiges-of-the-unearthed-the-light-between-us/

The Ansel Adams Gallery, https://www.anseladams.com/

Museum of Fine Arts Boston, https://collections.mfa.org/objects/17527/boating-near-lake-shore-with-reeds?ctx=e3817c72-e057-478b-ae43-cdecf61e6454&idx=2

Kibong Rhee, https://ocula.com/artists/kibong-rhee/

Bryan Nash Gill, https://www.bryannashgill.com/

Gary Colclough, https://www.garycolclough.com/Once%20Taken.html