Artist Statement
Ian Gorton – Digital Art
Through working with both camera and computer Ian creates images that seek to challenge/problematise traditional conceptions of photography and painting. Techniques and understandings from both fields – such as the layering of colour or the interplay of light - are used to produce images that capture the spirit/essence of the locality.
'But is it a painting, a photograph, or a photograph of a painting?'
In response Ian asks 'does it matter?'. With the growth of mixed media, transitory, and performance art (to name a few), “art” is, rightly, no longer synonymous with “oil painting”. Of greater importance to Ian is providing engaging, enjoyable, and accessible works. That said, inspired by the work of David Hockey, Ian has produced pieces which make use of the application of paint to the surface of the paper, or the inclusion of sections of paintings digitally.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Each piece has its own narrative. However the point of the work is not to produce a single unifying narrative, but instead to encourage the viewer to conjour their own supplimentary tales – either lived or imagined. To promote this, Ian actively removes details from the original photographs encouraging the viewer to fill in shapes, events, or views caught just out of the corner of your eye.
Similarly, the colour palette and many layers of a piece further contributes to the idea of the everyday scene, re-examined; ultimately the interpretation of a moment using digital media.
Overall works tend to focus on the natural world, with landscapes of trees and flowers, or seascapes with boats, often selected to provide a setting for the mind to wander.
Ian invites you to explore his work, musing on the stories behind them
Through working with both camera and computer Ian creates images that seek to challenge/problematise traditional conceptions of photography and painting. Techniques and understandings from both fields – such as the layering of colour or the interplay of light - are used to produce images that capture the spirit/essence of the locality.
'But is it a painting, a photograph, or a photograph of a painting?'
In response Ian asks 'does it matter?'. With the growth of mixed media, transitory, and performance art (to name a few), “art” is, rightly, no longer synonymous with “oil painting”. Of greater importance to Ian is providing engaging, enjoyable, and accessible works. That said, inspired by the work of David Hockey, Ian has produced pieces which make use of the application of paint to the surface of the paper, or the inclusion of sections of paintings digitally.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Each piece has its own narrative. However the point of the work is not to produce a single unifying narrative, but instead to encourage the viewer to conjour their own supplimentary tales – either lived or imagined. To promote this, Ian actively removes details from the original photographs encouraging the viewer to fill in shapes, events, or views caught just out of the corner of your eye.
Similarly, the colour palette and many layers of a piece further contributes to the idea of the everyday scene, re-examined; ultimately the interpretation of a moment using digital media.
Overall works tend to focus on the natural world, with landscapes of trees and flowers, or seascapes with boats, often selected to provide a setting for the mind to wander.
Ian invites you to explore his work, musing on the stories behind them