Painting an Emotive World: Process and Relationscape

Abstract

<p>This research brings attention to the ‘obsolescence of periodization’ (Hoptman, 2014, p. 13), a phrase applied to some contemporary painters who do not consider themselves restricted to a painting style or period. Rather, these artists acknowledge influences from a variety of periods. Research produced for this study acknowledges the influence on my practice of seemingly diverse fields of painting and performative art: The Sublime, Expressionism, and Relationality.</p> <p>The research is focused on affect and sensory-emotive transference, originating from my encounters with land. Affect is synaesthetic, implying a participation of the senses in each other (Massumi, 1995, p. 96). Embodiment of sensory-emotive content is examined in the well-researched fields of Sublime painting and Expressionist painting. I also question whether my research focus, emphasising human reciprocity with land, extends to the ‘contested critical terrain of relational art’ (Watson, 2015, p. 151).</p> <p>Process, in this study, became a record of dialogue between the activity of land and the activity of painting, whereby ‘feelings were seen to emerge out of sensory immersion’ (Kirk, 2014, p. 120). It consequently became less important to have finished works and more important to have active readings of the dialogue formed with the land through art practice. While including painting and drawing, process expanded my practice to also include digital video, sculpture, installation and performance drawing, in a broad range of art activities termed relationscapes.</p>