TOPOGRAPHY NOS. 1-5. December 10, 2015
Lines made with a brush and quink/distemper on Japanese paper 20″ x 30″
The idea of “Objective/Non-Objective” intrigues me so I made more exercises on the subject. Non-Objective refers to imagery wherein the lines and shapes do not correspond to any existing object in visual reality. I use the term Objective to denote the use of fundamentally the same lines and shapes but with the intended representation of actual objects in visual reality. The usage of both terms denote the relationship and movement between both modes of representation, which may or may not be figurative depending on the mode of operation.
The topography of a space seems a good way of exploring the relationship between objective and non-objective images. The lines used in Topography Nos. 1-5 were all part of earlier exercises in making lines and shades, using a range of brush sizes.
Topography Nos. 1-5 are depiction of the eastern garden: the long and broad curved vertical line describes the footpath that traverses the garden interior and the exterior; circles indicate cultivated trees surrounded by shrubs and halved coconut husks; broad horizontal and diagonal lines describe a footpath along the hedge that demarcates interior from exterior and the paved road at the end of the garden footpath; squares indicate building structures – the larger indicates the neighbouring house and the smaller indicates an old pigpen; at the right side of the exterior are lines in thatched arrangement describing a limestone dumping ground.
I have special interest in Topography No. 4 because of the use of very light ink, making the possibility of syncopated composition. I will experiment with this more in other exercises.
