New Current In My Drawing Practice

Lately I have been interested in creating organic abstract drawings that are geometrically "justified", or precise. This is at least a technical consideration of my recent 2D works. I have often felt that good abstract art may not be merely an individual's expression of form and emotion, but rather a window into a concrete, probably profound reality that is just not as common, accessible, or easily describable. It is hard to say, though, that one idea necessarily cancels the other. Most likely, spontaneous and intuitive expressions do in fact provide a window into concrete aspects of reality. One of my favorite abstract artist is the painter Roberto Matta, and even thought he relied on automatism to create many of his works, he very much represents what I believe is powerful, "rooted" abstraction.

In this sense, I am interested in abstraction that finds its means in expanded or visionary reality, as may be experienced through inner travel, shamanism, mysticism and even through the lens of progressive, "post-post-modern" science. Subjects and notions such as those of invisible energy, sacred geometry, Life-force, Anima and biomorphism are strongly calling my attention at this time. Though I am just starting with this particular type of technical experimentation, I am very excited about it.

Also, I recently learned about the Voynich Manuscript, an old book written in a language/code which is still undeciphered and packed with enigmatic illustrations of unknown plants, charts and strange bath-organ-like contraptions. Somehow this mysterious object has quickly managed to spark an enormous amount of inspiration in me. And I am definitely not the only one. To site one example: artist, architect and designer Luigi Serafini spent 3 years of his life writing his Codex Seraphinianus, a work that resembles the V.M.S. or at the very least seems inspired by it.

So, with this long-winded introduction, I will now share a drawing I did today (sorry for the bad picture of it) called "Voynichus Conifralia", inspired by the Voynich Manuscript and the patterns of spiral phyllotaxis as elegantly displayed by coniferous plants. I hope this to be the first sloppy step in a drawing evolution I am seeking to experience.

"Voynichus Conifralia"