Seeker: Christopher COOK
28 Sep 2024-10 Nov 2024
Information

📌9/28 Sat. 
15:00
Artist Talk
Christopher COOK x SONG Sheau-Ming (Associate Professor at Department of Fine Arts, NTNU)
16:00
Opening

 

📌10/12 Sat. 
15:00-16:30
Lecture
Speaker: CHEN Kuang-Yi (Professor at Department of Fine Arts, NTUA)

Overview

For British artist Christopher Cook, the term "Seeker" describes not only his approach to life but also a crucial aspect of his painting process. Through opportunities afforded by his international exhibitions, artist/academic residencies and research trips, Cook has been able to frequently immerse himself in new cultures and environments. It was one such period in India that caused him to shift to what has now become his distinctive liquid graphite process, in which monochrome provides him with a speculative freedom during the formation of the image.

 

Cook’s creative process draws from early 20th-century Surrealism, which he adapts into his own artistic method. By transforming the content of the real world through imagination and exploring the interplay between the two, Cook integrates elements of creation, chance, and foreshadowing into compelling images. In Cook’s work, we can observe the influence of Eastern ink painting. This influence is not only due to the monochromatic nature of the works but also because graphite, when thinned with mineral oil, acquires an ink-like quality that imparts a fluid texture and evident spontaneity.

 

However, this seemingly casual appearance may not reflect the reality. The images undergo a series of repeated "rehearsals." For Cook, this seemingly futile time in the studio is akin to preparation or rehearsals for the final "performance" of the image. Sometimes these rehearsals can last for days or even weeks until he finally captures the image in his mind. This "dissatisfaction with focus," which is the essence revealed in the exhibition title, underscores that while the images may appear fluid and spontaneous, they are often the result of hard work and extended searching.

 

The works in this exhibition fall into two categories, the first involving images made whilst working in Taipei in 2023, and the second a selection of works made in the UK. These pieces reflect Cook’s experiences in Taipei and are inspired by the tradition of Persian miniatures, incorporating elements of mythological narratives and the natural world influenced by human activity.

Artwork
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