Of splashes, paste Ups and overlays

“The survival of the most free and enlightened elements of our civilization depends

on developing this culture of revolt out of our aesthetic heritage and finding new

forms for it.”¹

Julia Kristeva

Presenting a seemingly infinite compendium of lyrically pigment effects, the blotches, streaks, splashes, scribbles, the graphics, various processes, the techniques in the exploitation of primary grounds, and interrogation of materials that seem more like the abstracted results that accommodate the spontaneity of willful experiments are the recent works of three contemporary young artists: Dennis Demosthenes Campos, Rick Hernandez and Resty Tica.

Campos focuses on the use of varied range of materials exploiting the corporality and substantiality of various mediums’ inherent qualities. Piece by piece and layer by layer, Campos directs his attention toward a highly personal world- the artist’s confession on his observation of the degeneracy of the surroundings. Campos’ controlled randomness in the treatment of the painted surface manage to create field of unpredicted qualitative differences. Titles such as “Landscape”, “Re-Project” and “Grounding” stroll on his personal reflection of construction and re-construction of living ground.

Hernandez’ collage works reconstruct the treasures of the past using collected old manuscripts, printed manuals and discarded book papers with underlying theme of cultural history. Titles directly derived from the snippets of text appearing on the surface of the ground reclaimed and reconnected us to humble memories of the past. The artist employs graphic technique in the interference patches of colors seemingly erased, painted and pasted, in the process blurring of boundaries between natural and man-made while creating a dialogue between time and space.

Tica’s digital prints on canvas imitates with equal temerity the spirit and corporality of conventional painting, exploring the parallels with the aesthetics of painting and mimicking the layered gestural marks resulting to transformation of expression. The artist creates an illusionary space of what is real and what is not. Understanding science as tool in painting had gained traction. This is evidently explored in contemporary society with some fashion in reaction to customary art practices.

Finding their own contemporary voice between the streaks, doodles, and splashes of paints, between the cuts in the collages in the subject understood to be specific and global, it will be interesting to see how these representations of young artists develop in their works as time goes by. 

Notes by Noëll EL Farol

From 'On Common Ground Uncommon Grounds' 3-man exhibition
featuring Demosthenes Campos, Rick Hernandez and Resty Tica
GalerieOne Workshop
2007