LandEscape Art Review | Page 119

Stefan Lesueur
Land scape
CONTEMPORARY ART REVIEW more instinctual level . I definitely see that I ’ m pulling out whatever natural inclinations we have to recognize a landscape as a landscape . I mean , personally it ’ s interesting to see that I not only have a natural tendency to play with these patterns , but I can easily get lost in them . I think the images are successful in that they play with our attraction to both natural and artificial stimuli . It ’ s seems like a basic instinct that we are attracted to natural forms and patterns , and it ’ s in that basis that we create enhancements , say with color , to appeal to that attraction more acutely . So , yes , I would say there ’ s a bit of unlocking the subconscious in my work , and I would agree that this is part of the nature of being an artist . I certainly don ’ t want to speak for all artists , but I do enjoy the idea that artists tap into our subconscious in a way that other means can ’ t . It ’ s quite simple to see the results : you see it in how people react to an image , a song , even how the brain imagines the narrative of a book . Artistic form provides a way to communicate that regular conversation cannot .
Over time I ’ ve moved further from representation and towards abstraction . This is not unique . I find that many artists go along the same path . It ’ s easier to pull off abstraction when you have a solid base in representational work . However , while I see how many artists will go for full abstraction , I enjoy using representation as kind of a hook with my work . Particularly when I ’ m so concerned with space , I want to provide something for the spectator to latch onto in order to understand the abstract elements in the work . If I didn ’ t do this , I admit , I may get lost myself . So , taking Landscapes for Richter , the work is obviously abstract . However , there are enough rigid edges in the work that keeps the patterns from getting out of hand . Something quite fun with the Richter works is that it points out how abstraction really stems from nature . As one of my friends put it , nature is just a series