Based on a 1998 holographic monoprint, Centre Column.
A celebration, exactly 20 years on from the production of the original, the 2009 piece takes the same column-like gestural ‘scribble’ and uses a micro-focused beam of laser light to ‘excise’ the drawing from traditional watercolour paper.
The resulting ‘image’ is made up of three ‘holes’ in the paper, spaces where the drawings should have been. The absence of drawing.
Title: Cut Column
Date: 2009
Dimensions: Watercolour paper. 25.5 x 25.5 cm. Frame size 50.5 x 50.5 x 4.5 cm (19 3/4 x 19 3/4 inches)
Materials: 350gms/150lb medium cold press watercolour paper. pH neutral, laser cut spaces
Edition: 30 with 5 artist proofs
Produced at Nottingham Trent University laser cutting studio, Nottingham
Each work, separated by 20 years, displays the absence of the original hand-made marks through the interaction of light on a surface: the holographic version captures photonic diffraction onto silver halide photographic emulsion, while the paper version uses photons as a ‘knife’ to cut away paper fibre and reveal the space behind.
The results, in both cases, are small, insignificant, marks made significant by their absence.
Part of an ongoing series: The Absence of Drawing.
Special thanks to Sue Turton at Nottingham Trent University’s laser cutting studio, who helped coach this work into existence.
