Collaborative and individual drawings 2012
This exhibition was held at 1727 West Third Avenue, Vancouver July 14th - 28th 2012.
Michael Bjornson, Geoff Carter and myself have been working together for approximately two years. The process of our collaborating, through addition and editing is a silent dialogue, a form of call and response. Michael refers to this dialogue as “conversation”; the drawings are visual conversations between the three of us with implications of narrative that evolve through the duration of the work. Our starting point may be something quite modest that acts as an instrument that will evoke a response.
Away from the drawing surface our verbal discourse often revolves around contemporary socio/political issues and popular culture. At times, the discussion will migrate to a point where “looking through and looking at” becomes relevant. These “aloud” conversations remain present as we shift to our visual language, sliding into our “silent” discourse.
Each endeavor is like a first date with the promise of the challenging unknown yet with the prospect of a fruitful union. Our comfort level starts tentatively and matures, becoming more like a marriage, sometimes to the point where it is difficult to complete the work without the participation of all. Geoff likens the experience to choreography; at times we are literally climbing on top of each other to reach the right spot.
The chronicle of a piece is seldom evident to the viewer. Layers of drawings may have been submerged as a part of the ongoing conversation. Sometimes the surface returns to a blank state, an intake of breath, before we renew the dialogue. The formal considerations of the works are addressed en masse in a form of critique with consensus when changes or eliminations need to be made.
The tension that is present in the work perhaps comes from the pause where the decision is made whether to continue the conversation or to stop and invite the viewer in.
