I had the pleasure of viewing some of Jonathan's work in his studio in
Walthamstow a couple of weeks ago. The textures and composition of the
Changing Spaces works stimulated not only my visual senses but also
provoked a desire to touch the work in order to explore its various
components. I was particularly struck by the contrast within each piece;
monochrome and “quiet” backgrounds interrupted, sometimes brutally so,
by the imposing structures of the objects Jonathan had sourced from the
Lee Valley. I interpreted this as though the calm surroundings (nature)
had had its tranquility and natural order shattered by the found objects
(man-made materials/industry).
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| Deconstructed Landscape 1 |
I was particularly drawn to the
works Deconstructured Landscape 1 and 2 which consist of painted, white
wood chips arranged, in what appears to be a gravity defying
arrangement, against a black background. Alongside the obvious colour
contrast these pieces, again, suggest a disruption of order and peace.
However, I didn’t interpret this disorder as necessarily being violent
or brutal but more of a reflection of movement and the passing of time.
The way the wood chip has been layered almost looks like they were
thrown from a box and their movement has been captured mid-air, like
fragments of time, thus capturing the concept of change and portraying
it in a very tangible outcome.
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| Deconstructed Landscape 2 |
