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Daniel Colvin Fine Art
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HomeDigital Alchemy
Though
commonly thought of as the ancient technology of conjuring gold, Alchemy can
also be seen as a series of indecipherable recipes for the art of transmutation.
As seen from our time, the symbols and arcane writings in the alchemical texts
seem obscured in a fog of lost meaning and cultural distance. Yet they spark our
imagination with the idea that if only one were to study them hard enough, a
great secret might be revealed. When
assessing these prints, I want the viewer to feel this same emotion of baffled
yearning. However, rather than hailing from the past, my work points to the
enigma of our modern world. Using the modern technology of Digital Collage, I
strive to present a series of images in which symbols and juxtapositions are
arranged to elicit a sense of understanding that can be felt but not
articulated. Most
of these pieces are steeped in layers—a quality that reflects my perception of
a world layered in complexity. Human existence has evolved into a state of
incredible sophistication. Everyday life now contains numerous levels of
experience that encompass intellectual, cultural and technological perspectives.
Over this, my mind will layer countless abstractions, interpretations,
and emotions. Perhaps survival necessitates that I filter out the immensity of
mystery in the universe around us. But once in a while, if I happen to glance
out a car window at a speeding landscape, or notice the reflection on an ancient
building, the enormity of mystery rushes back in. Then I feel as if we are all
walking in a dream. It is in these moments that I glean the alchemical symbols
that form the language of my art. For
me, the evolution of the language of art—impressionism, cubism, collage,
abstraction—can be interpreted as an attempt by the creative mind to come to
terms with this growing multiplicity of layers in our world.
It is not just coincidence that the concept of layering forms the basis
for the digital technology used to create these prints.
I believe digital technology has become an essential instrument with
which to continue this discussion of the phenomenon of modernity. There
is no common starting point for my work. The seed might be an emotion elicited
by the texture of old parchment, a landscape I’ve photographed, or the memory
of journey. From there I begin to
compile related imagery and fairly soon a theme emerges. I then pursue all the
layers of that theme that demand to express themselves. The piece usually
contains a physical layer, something close to what we call reality. But the
physicality of a thing is only the beginning of experience. I want to reveal
hidden presence, to peel back the surface and expose forgotten or unnoticed
connections. I find myself adding
layers to make associations and juxtapositions—an old map on a landscape or
dark gears clustered around the earth. Or perhaps I will create variations to
form a dialectic—how many ways can you see a tree? Some of these images end up
describing a place—as in the dry desert of Thirst,
while others are about a concept—September Waters
seeking to express the emotion of a season.
Construction
Zone reflects my
feelings on the process of creation itself.
Many of the pieces depict the influence of the future, some reveal the
complex mechanisms of the present, most of them hint at a great legacy of the
past. Like
the alchemistic totems of ancient times, each of these images can be thought of
as a recipe for describing a mystery. I never expect to explain the mystery of
our world, but if I can articulate a new thought, inspire a question, or elicit
a recognized but indescribable emotion then I feel I have succeeded. |
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Send mail to dan@colvinart.com with questions or comments about Daniel Colvin Fine Art
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