The three artists together present an exhibition that deals with the various stages of reification of the image: the material immanent in the image (Jens), that which is assembled into the work as ready-made (Daniel), and that which is transfigured from one material to another (Matthew).
The protagonist of this translation is not an object of mass consumption, nor an idol, as in the kind of contemporary art we are more and more accustomed to; it is, rather, a scrap of cloth, a piece of cardboard, a small thing.
The materiality of the cardboard is especially present; appreciated by both Daniel and Matthew, it is a symbol of protection, but in the current world of home delivery, it also stands for facilitation, globalisation, and travel.
On the other hand, Jens and Daniel join in making art that originates from art.
When compared to the choice of using newspaper mounted on linen canvas, Daniel refers to the invention of this technique by the New York School: ‘Simply put, I'm a New York painter, why not start where they did?’ This ‘they’, which evokes the phantasmic and phantasmagoric presence of the painters who preceded the present discourse, is relevant insofar as it implies a dialogue.
Painting is often mistakenly considered the most solitary of the artistic mediums; it is a constant dialogue instead. There is no painting without a dialectic between one painter and another, contemporary or not. Painting is a group sport. Moreover, the importance of the process with respect to the outcome is a non-negligible feature uniting these artists.
Jens says he experiences a state that is both ‘frustrating and exciting’ while painting. ‘It is never a painful process. I don’t agonise over them, even the ones that take a long time’ says Daniel about his works.
For Matthew, the process begins at the train station, even before entering the foundry: ‘I work with non art based technicians in a small commercial foundry in west Sussex. I see this social and democratic dialogue as part of the sculptural act, along with the walk to and from the train station to the foundry. The final sculpture is embodied with collaboration, the distance traveled and the thoughts and feelings that have been had along the way.’
As if trying to solve a difficult but compelling puzzle, the three artists study the possibilities inherent in images, poor and worn out materials, continuing the imperishable game of walking the paths - those that are less glossy and richer in weeds - of visual language.