Drew Ward – VENUE 13
Audience:
The paradox in Drew Ward’s drawings is that whilst they are
full of lines, there are no drawn lines as such, only edges and when you think
about it an edge is not a line anyway, but merely the point of transition
between one thing and another. Phew, my head hurts!
I am struck by a recurring idea of slatted blinds or vents
in these drawings. As we know a blind simultaneously blocks and reveals the
view, but it also regulates illumination into a scene, in much the same way a
vent regulates the flow of air. There is another sense in which these drawings
are ‘airy’ too; they depict the high spaces in architectural buildings that
would otherwise be unseen. In these places the exchange of wall, ceiling and
corner are managed through complex crossings, skeletal supporting structures
and services, which build from back to the front to give the drawings their double
sense of space and atmosphere.
In most of the drawings the blocks of tone seem to slide
alongside each other in seismic shifts. Fragments, or shards, break away to form
new ribbons of light and dark pattern, which remind me of the black and yellow
tape used by workmen to cordon-off dangerous construction sites. This simile could
be apt given the lofty heights in which these drawings have their origins.
Alternatively, what I meant to say is - I really like these
drawings!
Thank you Chris.
I am hopeful of another guest blog slot from Chris tomorrow...
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