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MICHAEL AZGOUR The Awakening (2008) To abstract from reality is to create a metaphor. Although there are many valid systems of abstraction, those which are reflective of the human condition are of greatest interest to me in this body of work. My intention in the recent painting series, The Awakening, was to create a space which breaks from reality, constructs a new perspective, and touches upon universal human truths. Ideally, the metaphor becomes coherent only after being combined with the viewer’s pre-existing library of symbolic imagery. In this realm of the subconscious, figurative and abstract elements combine with preexisting perceptions and archetypes to evoke sensations beyond that which aesthetics can provide. I’d like to invite the viewer to explore his/her own existence through the imagery depicted in these paintings. The process used for The Awakening was based on my desire to combine representational forms with abstract elements. I hired female models for photo sessions in various locations, paying special attention to gestural poses. From hundreds of references, I selected a few with strong, expressive compositions. I stretched six large canvases and primed the surfaces. On the pure white surface, I mapped out the figure. With the same hue, I grouped dark shapes together and toned the light shapes. From this point forward, many painting sessions were spent on each artwork, either correcting representational elements, or pushing the abstract through the use of hard edges, flattened spaces, and simplified forms. This dichotomy of figuration and abstraction mirrored my interest in producing provocative works which tell a story not easily deconstructed. As the paintings moved forward, I photographed the works in progress and evaluated the developing compositions away from the studio. I concentrated on supporting the developing concept, particular to each piece, and to creating formal harmony. Only when these two properties came to fruition, would the work be complete. My artistic sensibilities are informed greatly by my background in psychology and graphic design, as well as a love of the female form and a long-term interest in geometry. Formally, I am interested in the developments of the past century, which often savor the dichotomy of compositional harmony and discordance. I enjoy creating contradictory depth relationships which at once create depth and flatten space. My figures’ relationship to the ground is often interchanging, as elements from the latter shift in front of the former. I am inspired greatly by the work of several artists of the Bay Area Figurative Movement, including Richard Diebenkorn and Nathan Oliviera. Early twentieth century French and Catalan artists influence my sensibilities as well, including works by Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miro. About the Artist |
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