The first limited edition work on paper made by Andrew Pepper is part of The Absence of Drawing series and developed from early pieces using drawings within holograms and recent paper-based work shown on the Drawing Wall at the Bonington Gallery.
In April 2008 staff associated with Nottingham Trent University School of Art and Design, were invited to submit a drawing for the Drawing Wall, part of the Drawing Out exhibition which took place at the University’s Bonington Gallery.
In connection with the exhibition, a number of workshops were organised, including an introduction to the University’s laser cutter. Pepper took part in one of these workshops, and the Absence of Drawing series developed from this first engagement with the machine.
There is an identifiable link between some of the early holograms, which used laser light to ‘capture’ physical drawings, and the laser light used here to cut away similar drawn marks.
Title: Nine Drawn Spaces
Date: 2008
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: 350 gsm / 150 lb medium cold press watercolour paper. pH neutral, laser cut spaces.
Edition: 30 with 5 artist’s proofs
Produced at Nottingham Trent University laser cutting studio, Nottingham
Collection: Private, UK
The gestural drawings (shaded rectangles) have been individually cut by a fine beam of laser light into 350 gsm handmade watercolour paper.
They represent the space where the drawing once was — now a view into an area behind the surface of the paper.
Nine Drawn Spaces has been shown at the Leicester City Gallery as part of the One Leicester Open 20 exhibition (15 November 2008 – 10 January 2009), and at Gallery 286, London, as part of The Earl’s Court Irregulars exhibition (December 2008).
