Mikki Gleave
“The trace is a strong part of my practice. Works’ are opaque and multi-layered, that capture the layers and fabric of the mind and freeze the ambiguity of borderline experiences and the complexity of the psyche in a visual form.
I’m driven by the desire to leave some evidence representing existence. This desire leads to an unsettling tension from the fear of something created being washed away. Spray paint cites graffiti for this reason but also shows techniques of cave painting.
Through a process of driven observation, my aim is to engage the viewer and increase understanding of the particular subject matter represented in the works. Current work involves working with ink, ash and charcoal – hard edged gestures used autonomously on board, paper, walls, dust sheets and wrappers from cheese slices to form images that represent marks and abstract beings inspired by history and existence.
The supports hold the memory of touch from periods of aggressive scribbling to gentle rubbing away and smudging. This autonomy within current work is played out in the resulting of visible forms whilst not conforming to specific nameable place or object. Drawing and painting based gestures using raw materials play a significant role that guide the work and offer an opening into a world of visual perception. At the same time by using such materials as a means to question experiences in the world, by extension, offer the viewer a means of exploring their own relationship(s) with and their visions of the world.”
