Rosalind Barker

Chisenhale Studios    July 9th 2014

Mark Fairnington

Mark had delivered an exhaustive analysis of his painting practice at Wimbledon as part of the Artists lecture series. I had sought out his work in both Ing Discerning Eye (Invited Artist)  and The BP Portrait Award 2014 to view the reality of the incredible mark making he had shown us as a power point presentation, where the work appears to be photo realistic.

The paintings are not photo realism but have a blended surface, like an animation of mark making. Working from photographs he builds up layers from up to fifty close up images. Mark explained that the photographs don’t tell you how to make the painting- there is a physical and a dynamism about how to do this. He is excited by ‘how I do this- the illusion of the work, things I set up are a challenge….I don’t know how to do this’ The majority float in a modernist space with no shadows.

He described his practice led research where the making forms the research question.

His studio is divine, an enormous light filled minimalist space. He had a huge storage vault and was generous in taking us through multiple and diverse projects.

He has a gallery space to curate and consider his projects.

I love the concept of ‘English Gothic ‘ it references unseen mothers in Victorian photographs, they hid under a sheet to hold their babies and small children.

Tim Knowles

Tim introduced us to his drawing practice as being focused on Tracing Tracking Travel. Following motion, exploring systems natural or man made. Devising ways of producing drawings.

Having followed his Tree Drawings I was excited to view the real drawings and ask questions. He didn’t mention them until I asked him.

Ref DRAWINGPROJECTS an exploration of the language of drawing. Mick Maslen and Jack Southern  : Tim Knowles p132

      The Tree Drawings 

Disappointed with my iPhone photographs, internet images are tiny.

Postal Drawings- ‘Parcel Journey’

Aesthetics is important in his practice, he hopes all unknown outcomes have an aesthetic quality. eg. in the creation of the specific pen for the postal project. He showed us the drawing machine. Movement of the project through the postal system shows as line and stationary periods are recorded as blots ( due to using spirit based pens) On average 20,000 marks are made.

He doesn’t want the work to be opaque and inaccessible- wants the viewer to understand the process but gives clues not signage and full explanation.