Goldfactory series | Complex series | Investigation series | Emergence series | Exploration series
2008
Ten years ago I produced a small series of work based on the Grímsvötn crater lake situated above a smouldering volcano that is buried underneath the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland. All my research was done via websites that used aerial photography to document the eruption of the volcano.
In August 2008 I was invited to undertake a residency at the Goldfactory Research Space at Egerton Studios, Nottingham. During the first week of this residency I visited Iceland for the first time and travelled around the ring road that is known as Route 1 witnessing lava fields, icebergs, mud-pots, black beaches, volcanoes, deserts and the outrunning glaciers of Vatnajökull itself.
This time I was able to research and photograph my own images from a landscape so weird, extreme and in some areas, lunar-like in appearance.
With all the research material in hand, I then spent the next three weeks producing sample drawings that lead to a series of paintings on exposed photographic paper.
The paintings themselves are multi-layered, organic and on first inspection appear photographic in appearance.
With thanks to Paul Matosic, Goldfactory, Egerton Studios, Oldknows, Nottingham.
2009