Statement made on the occasion of the exhibition Here and Now:
Alan Charlton at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds in 1998
Alan Charlton at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds in 1998
At Art School in 1969, I made a group of paintings; instead of using stretcher bars I went to the timber yard and chose a standard timber size often used in general joinery work. After being prepared the size is 4.5 cm, this then would be the depth of the paintings.
For the colour I chose the paint with a similar approach. Instead of buying paint from an art shop, I went to a hardware shop. Each painting was a single colour; red oxide, brown, green creosote, black, white and grey. Each achieved what I wanted, no illusions, straightforward and urban in feel. The grey painting however went beyond this.
Since that time I have continued to use 4.5 cm as the module and the paintings are always grey. I use these two constant elements to discover different ways of making the paintings. The paintings are not composed within the traditional rectangle picture frame but within the whole space of the room, therefore the space they exist in is part of the work.
For the colour I chose the paint with a similar approach. Instead of buying paint from an art shop, I went to a hardware shop. Each painting was a single colour; red oxide, brown, green creosote, black, white and grey. Each achieved what I wanted, no illusions, straightforward and urban in feel. The grey painting however went beyond this.
Since that time I have continued to use 4.5 cm as the module and the paintings are always grey. I use these two constant elements to discover different ways of making the paintings. The paintings are not composed within the traditional rectangle picture frame but within the whole space of the room, therefore the space they exist in is part of the work.
Horizontal Painting in 7 Vertical Parts
1996
acrylic on cotton duck canvas 7 parts
157 x 373.5 cm overall
1996
acrylic on cotton duck canvas 7 parts
157 x 373.5 cm overall
Vertical Painting in 3 Vertical Parts
1996
acrylic on cotton duck canvas
3 parts
243 x 144 cm overall
1996
acrylic on cotton duck canvas
3 parts
243 x 144 cm overall
5 Part Panel Painting, 1990
Acrylic on canvas
265.5 x 130.5 x 4.5 cm
5 pieces, each 265.5 x 130.5
I want my paintings to be: abstract, direct, urban, basic, modest, pure, simple, silent, honest, absolute.
Football fan connection ?
Football fan connection ?
One canvas 67,5 x 252 cm positioned in the top half of a wall painted rectangle (line 4,5 cm), 2002, Acrylic on canvas and wall,
135 x 252 cm. Photo: A Arte Studio Invernizzi, Milano
135 x 252 cm. Photo: A Arte Studio Invernizzi, Milano