Adam Matak & Community Arts Initiatives

The Physical Impossibility of the Death of Painting (Red), 2010

One of Adam Matak's works from his exhibition,

Maintaining Critical Distance

featuring Adam's pop-simplified version of John Singleton Copley's
Watson and The Shark (1778)

My Adam-Inspired Self-Portrait

working on Cutout Me with Adam Matak looking on

I recently participated in a Community Arts Initiative entitled "Stand Up, Stand Out!", guided by artist Adam Matak. About three times a year, the Thames Art Gallery issues a challenge to community artists, which often features an opportunity to learn a different technique.

"Adam's works comment on the distinction between 'high' and 'low' art as well and the making, buying, and selling of art. His works are characterized by their distinct appearance, and vivid use of colour and line which is achieved by using acrylic paints and graffiti markers."
- Thames Art Gallery website

I first saw Adam's work at his Thames Art Gallery show, Maintaining Critical Distance. It was one of my most favourite shows at the gallery to date. It was many things, including very funny critiques on the average person's response to masterworks of art.

Our "Stand Up, Stand Out!" Community Arts Initiative challenge was to create a version of ourselves in the style of Adam's work, and use it to respond to an existing artwork from the Thames Art Gallery's permanent collection. I was intrigued by the opportunity to try something new and, let's face it, cool. The process would involve using graffiti markers-need I say more?

I chose to respond to a large Fleming landscape (circa 1903?) that, to me, looked bare. It's a lovely moody European-style landscape, but completely devoid of any life. I think that landscapes of a certain period need cows or horses or a lonely shepherd.

Guided by Adam at a workshop he led to help us paint like him, I had my son Monty take a photograph of me (Monty participated in the CAI too!), copied it onto a transparency, projected the photo onto the provided MDF, and traced it. I then painted Cutout Me in the style of a cartoon character and used a graffiti marker to make thick black outlines (and resisted the urge to take the marker outside and write on the wall), had Cutout Me liberated from the slab by one of the ever-helpful and handsome maintenance staff at the Cultural Centre, and then glued a vintage 1960's Fisher Price cow in one Cutout Me hand and the matching horse in the other.

For a cheeky bit of fun, I had a spare hand brace floating around, which I put on the right hand of Cutout Me. Just in case you missed my ongoing Saga of the Sore Paw, as a result of a work injury, I am required to wear a brace on my right hand while doing computer work. With the brace as a finishing touch, I created the ultimate self-portrait, complete with fabulous hair.

I think it turned out quite well!

I am now participating in the recent Community Arts Initiative entitled 'Non-Representational Painting with Jordan Broadworth'.

And I say 'participating' somewhat loosely, because I haven't even tried to make a mark on the provided board. From the guidelines, it looks as if I'm supposed to throw some paint around and not have the results look like something. I'm just not good at reckless abandon.

What would Adam do?