Tearing Painting

Tearing Painting

Tearing Painting

“Tearing Painting” is exploring a new way to experience the painting by different physical actions such as touching, cutting, rather than just seeing. This method can help the audience encounter the artwork not only in a distant and spiritual way but also in a physical way. Through the sensorial interaction between human and painting, the audience can observe the artwork from a new perspective.

The fundamental element that constructed “Tearing Painting” is the traditional easel painting materials such as canvas and acrylic, but I have combined some new elements which had transformed the traditional painting into a multi dimensional material that engaged with participatory and interactive art form, to explore the new function of painting.

Lots of people may consider that cutting the painting is a way of destruction, and it cannot be allowed to happen in the museum context. But I want to break through the fixed rule in order to generate the innovation and creativity, these two are the key elements that I’m trying to present in this work and also are the elements that nowadays people are missing and lacking. The initial appearance of this painting was just purely in one color, but when the audience were participating and cutting the canvas, the hidden layers were emerging and the painting was starting to become more abundant and attractive. The final outcome attributes to the participants’ creative actions.

Although, I am trying to conceal the aggressive aspects might existed in my work by painted bright colors, in order to express a sense of positive visually. But it is still difficult to ignore the violent gesture. Damaging the painting seems against the common notion of encountering an artwork, visually the works are presenting a sense of destruction and aggression since the canvas had been torn and cut. Some people may consider my work as a radical artwork, but I am trying to express an important message through this form which is being free and unrestricted as human being. That is why I haven’t guided or conducted the participants’ behavior. I am trying to break through the general cognition of the destruction, and to explore the positive aspect on it.

The main theme that I am developing through “Tearing Painting” is to discuss the rule establishment of museum, also to explore the the importance of the rules in our society. In the beginning of this project, the museum asked me to change the knife to other tools because of the safety reason, but I had still insisted the initial plan. I hope the participants could act truly from their own decision, so I haven’t advised the participants on how they should act and cut, every action was motivated by themselves. In the same time, it might bring some unknown dangerous elements such as unpredictable and unexpected situations. However, I wish to express a new message through my work, to bring the audience a brand new art experience, to respect the human dignity, to make the audience feel the importance of being liberal and innovative. So, without being supervised or restricted is the main rule of “Tearing Painting”, but at the same time I need to keep the public order.

So, I have discussed this subject within the museum and participatory art context, to demonstrate the importance of the establishment of the policy and rule. The significant point is to find a proper interactive form when the artwork is engaging with the public, such as giving a clear guidance to the participant in accord with the artist’s intention. However, the human behavior cannot only be measured by morality, because the destructive behavior is not only generated deliberately, but also generated by the subconsciousness in most of the time. That is why the artistic control and the museum’s policy have to be considered frequently and seriously, in order to prevent the unexpected and unpredictable situations when the art form becomes more experimental. The artist and museum are in an authoritative position, so they have the responsibility to maintain the public order and protect the artwork, because they are not only creating or exhibiting art but also educating the public.

Audience is the essential element that constructed the "Tearing Painting", it leads to the above concerns that emerged in this project. However, when the art production is engaging with the public, the artist has to consider the unpredictable situation in order to maintain the social order. Also, the artist has to balance the boundary between innovativeness and appropriateness, at the same time to reach artist’s intention successfully by encouraging the public to act bravely. This is a complex and important issue for me to keep reflecting and exploring in this interactive form of painting.

The scale of the painting is 400cm x 100cm, made in June 2021. The painting is made by four layers of canvas, it has eight surfaces in total. I painted each surface with acrylic.

https://graduateshowcase.arts.ac.uk/projects/218328/cover

https://youtu.be/UF4R5qkGs6U

Instagram: gnay.22

“Tearing Painting” is exploring a new way to experience the painting by different physical actions such as touching, cutting, rather than just seeing. This method can help the audience encounter the artwork not only in a distant and spiritual way but also in a physical way. Through the sensorial interaction between human and painting, the audience can observe the artwork from a new perspective.

The fundamental element that constructed “Tearing Painting” is the traditional easel painting materials such as canvas and acrylic, but I have combined some new elements which had transformed the traditional painting into a multi dimensional material that engaged with participatory and interactive art form, to explore the new function of painting.

Lots of people may consider that cutting the painting is a way of destruction, and it cannot be allowed to happen in the museum context. But I want to break through the fixed rule in order to generate the innovation and creativity, these two are the key elements that I’m trying to present in this work and also are the elements that nowadays people are missing and lacking. The initial appearance of this painting was just purely in one color, but when the audience were participating and cutting the canvas, the hidden layers were emerging and the painting was starting to become more abundant and attractive. The final outcome attributes to the participants’ creative actions.

Although, I am trying to conceal the aggressive aspects might existed in my work by painted bright colors, in order to express a sense of positive visually. But it is still difficult to ignore the violent gesture. Damaging the painting seems against the common notion of encountering an artwork, visually the works are presenting a sense of destruction and aggression since the canvas had been torn and cut. Some people may consider my work as a radical artwork, but I am trying to express an important message through this form which is being free and unrestricted as human being. That is why I haven’t guided or conducted the participants’ behavior. I am trying to break through the general cognition of the destruction, and to explore the positive aspect on it.

The main theme that I am developing through “Tearing Painting” is to discuss the rule establishment of museum, also to explore the the importance of the rules in our society. In the beginning of this project, the museum asked me to change the knife to other tools because of the safety reason, but I had still insisted the initial plan. I hope the participants could act truly from their own decision, so I haven’t advised the participants on how they should act and cut, every action was motivated by themselves. In the same time, it might bring some unknown dangerous elements such as unpredictable and unexpected situations. However, I wish to express a new message through my work, to bring the audience a brand new art experience, to respect the human dignity, to make the audience feel the importance of being liberal and innovative. So, without being supervised or restricted is the main rule of “Tearing Painting”, but at the same time I need to keep the public order.

So, I have discussed this subject within the museum and participatory art context, to demonstrate the importance of the establishment of the policy and rule. The significant point is to find a proper interactive form when the artwork is engaging with the public, such as giving a clear guidance to the participant in accord with the artist’s intention. However, the human behavior cannot only be measured by morality, because the destructive behavior is not only generated deliberately, but also generated by the subconsciousness in most of the time. That is why the artistic control and the museum’s policy have to be considered frequently and seriously, in order to prevent the unexpected and unpredictable situations when the art form becomes more experimental. The artist and museum are in an authoritative position, so they have the responsibility to maintain the public order and protect the artwork, because they are not only creating or exhibiting art but also educating the public.

Audience is the essential element that constructed the "Tearing Painting", it leads to the above concerns that emerged in this project. However, when the art production is engaging with the public, the artist has to consider the unpredictable situation in order to maintain the social order. Also, the artist has to balance the boundary between innovativeness and appropriateness, at the same time to reach artist’s intention successfully by encouraging the public to act bravely. This is a complex and important issue for me to keep reflecting and exploring in this interactive form of painting.