The more things change

The purpose of this project is to show the connection between a few basic elements of a composition and how they manifest themselves.

The more things change…

The idea began with the introduction of a new printing technique in the graphic industry in The Netherlands which I shall call original relief process.   In this process the 3-dimentional depth and texture of the surface of the original work is scanned 1:1 and reproduced on a new polymer aggregate surface with no loss of detail or colour.  This technology differs from anything else currently available because of the ability to flawlessly capture not only the colour of an artwork but also the “skin” of the painting as it were.  Brushstrokes and colour from the artist’s brush/tools are captured and transferred after a lengthy process so that instead of a flat, colourful 2-d surface such as with the silkscreen and lithography processes, this new surface reflects exactly and minutely all the painted surfaces, cuts, scratches and labour of the artist’s touch.  I would say the finished product is more closely related to the engraving process where the raised lines on the surface of the paper print are the mirror image of the incisions or the artist has made in the copper plate. 

I wanted to make this process unique in another way by changing the original to a copy and the copy in turn, to an original.  My basis, or let’s say DNA, from the original forms the basis and the connection between the twenty works in the series.

All of the 20 works in the series have been re-painted and re-worked by hand using various techniques currently and previously to be found in my work.  Each work, which I have entitled “LE TARGET” 1/20, 2/20, 3/20…etc., on polymer-based laminate has been laid down on canvas and after careful additions and omissions in the composition, a new work is realized that is completely original and yet connected to the others in the group.  The paintings are now part of a family thanks to the repeated/cloned  genetic basis elements. 

The project is also a declaration of solidarity, equality and union.

…the more they stay the same.