Testing a Notion of an Abstraction of an Abstraction

by Terrance DePietro

Title

Testing a Notion of an Abstraction of an Abstraction

Artist

Terrance DePietro

Medium

Mixed Media - Mixed Media

Description

How to approach the subject at hand; when the subject is multivalent; concerned to the image and the title, in their detach? The all important image - assuredly a wordless wonder - is a most unexpected rendering; imaginal beyond the usual of my habit.

Yet again the titling; first, expressly acknowledging a continued uncertainty, a 'testing'; and being tested are yet personalisms, surrounding images and notions that are attached to the involvement with imagery. And in the end, we might hope, all the gathered implications, will become a holon, rather than a mere heap.

The entire exercise has become relevant and somewhat necessary, if only of late, to the last several months; due to the investigation of imagery in its distinctions and apply to the notion of 'imaginal', - taken up by Nicole Lemelin and myself - causally to the works of H. Corbin, which brings added dimension to our independent creative explore, via painting, image-generating, et al.

Via Corbin's 'imaginal' a new division, to the subject of imagination has become imperative in order to re-qualify, expand, what is recognized in the processes of imagination and its proposed affection by the premise of intuition; simultaneously distancing imaginal from fantasy; and recognizing that these perceptions are gender-particular, with all the imply conceivable.

As I am of habit to reserve much of my own associative particularities in the case of image; I will start the dialogue, on the subject of the titling. Whereas implied within is the notion of 'layers'...

And it is from the direct questioning of 'layers' that the notion extended itself; and without much imaginal thought, might be more familiar to the reader as a sudden 'intuition'; that an abstraction might well find additional dimension if applied to further abstraction - not a terribly novel concept, yet most interesting when measured to the intentionality, process and views of this artist and others of similar attitude.

My thought is that an abstraction, as the treatment here applies, is inclined less to design, more to subjective associations and correspondence; the constellation of the particulars takes precedence, even if, the final choices might not be the most direct or formal, desirable. Might there, within, be found 'form', of valuable input, laced and obscured, yet visible; that the process might spotlight, bring to the front; for perception to prequalify? That notion extends from: the repeated experience that a singular viewer has evolving impressions about a static-image that are striking perceptions, seemingly lifting an interpretation, spewing forth new interpretation; yet retaining the original elucidation.

Even if we understand that the viewer's perspective is the cause of the shifting presumptions; the question remains, how many deductions might one viewer identify? Might a catalytic perspective lie in the image itself; allowing a range of perceptions to be ever present, yet less focal? Similar to cubism; however, in this case the image rather than an artist is prompting the incident [center of attention]; intentionality, not designed to one interpretation, but woven in consequence, to a viewing constituent of a community.

Even if it is of lesser importance, it must be mentioned that the mechanics of the process employed, are in themselves a reconciling of the three paralleling methodologies, [dexterous media (painting, et al), photography and computer processor] which occasionally overlap; yet previously, never combined into one presented image.

Reminding, it is not my practice to subject a formally presented painting to filtering or photographic manipulation - even that the practice is acceptable; I have never found it necessary or enhancing to a painted image. Yet the notion at hand requires it; and so this 'test' could in fact make the practice a continued experimenting - hopefully not diminishing the integrity or potentiality of an artwork.

Which brings us to the image itself; there appears to be an interesting atmosphere so developed. Aesthetically, reduced to b&w a subsequent level of abstraction is enjoyed - the nuances that were once supported by modulating distinctive color, are now even less defining than the mere nonobjective impression originally intended in its abstractness. But here, in attendance, there is more because the tableau was photographed; its texture recorded and recognized 'into the image itself' - whereas prior, a mind would have merely eliminated it as immaterial to the image during processing.

Add the same implication to the fact that 'reflected ambient light' [present in the photographing stage] has been absorbed into the image; all again consequentially rendering the image even more abstract. The result being an impression, reminiscent of old textbooks; where the images where b&w photos and were less than desirable copies. This image as well has that historic nostalgia about it.

Process, for better or worse, has now perceivably prompted a degree of correspondence; a measure of 'time' [transcendence, generational-bridging; and all conjecture so derived] to muse imaginal. Our notion's testing seems imbued with the delights of subjectivity, intuition, feeling and all that might add balance to the slant of right-reason presently obliged...

So what was to start with an abstraction, now has further applied of abstraction. And in so, deprived of its former supports, is in all effect an abstraction of an abstraction; and most importantly, in and of itself, incommensurate to a layer once determining and enjoyed - it is neither a simulation or appropriation but is uniquely original. Does it offer the viewer more or has it arrived a heap of detached residues?

Presenting it suggests the artist has answered that question; yet a public is final jury where art is implied. In this case, what the reductions have washed from focus, has merely revealed another layer that was intent to be recognized, while patiently allowing the viewer to catch up to its mysterious method; a feeling method, suggestive, less definitive and less of word; imaginal in its reading; a slower pace than today's race...

Will a public agree? The matter, for the artist, is mute; the artist has found implications that exceed his expectations; and is well pleased with the aesthetic integrity of the artifact; time is the only remaining test...
7mar17 tdp

Copyright 2017, Terrance DePietro, all rights expressly reserved.

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March 7th, 2017

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