This is the first collage painting in a series titled “At the Crossroad”. I was drawn to this form and after painting it for a while and realized it was a symbol for the personal difficulties I am having in making decisions and maintaining hope during this pandemic. It also represents my feelings about the critical juncture we are in as a country economically, environmentally, socially and politically. I am interested in how the orange brought in at the bottom, gives weight and complimentary with blue builds tension. I think this is a symbol I will work with for a while – simple and meaningful.
Patricia Brown / At the Crossroads
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The “calligraphic” shapes within both the blue and warmer yellow-orange areas beg to be “read.” They are symbols from a language we may understand viscerally. Your explanation makes that specific, but I think this is easy to read in multiple ways. The blue shape – a cross, as opposed to crossroads? Or rivers seen from a plane flying above? I am reminded of the earth filling with human created ephemera that is clogging rivers, and the landscape – or as you say, our critical environmental juncture. Conversely, the problem may be a “color” problem where groups can’t speak the same language. I think this is rich with multiple interpretations that come from the viewer’s own wrestling with the issues you have stated.
Thank you, Jan, you have given me much to think about. I love how images can transcend the maker and become containers for so much more.
I came across this article about an exhibition in Geneva that made me think of your work:
“Scrivere Disegnando” examines much more; each artist’s invented language or writing system evokes its own world or provides an unusual bridge to the known world. “Our exhibition expresses a paradox: it’s about writing but, in the end, it offers very little to read. To the contrary, it offers a universe to examine, in which one is required to participate with one’s intellect and emotion.” He also noted, “If we look at the history of writing, it has very often been used to hide meaning rather than to make meaning explicit.”
Patty – your work fits this description!
The link to the article “When Writing Has No Meaning”
https://hyperallergic.com/581047/when-writing-has-no-meaning/
Fantastic article – thank you for this new way to envision this work.