Pushing
Aside the Gates of Darkness
A Birmingham Memorial
A Birmingham Memorial
lThe initial visual idea was to use the Georges Rouault
print of the crucifixion
from the New Art Gallery, Walsall as a starting point for what was envisaged as a series of works. There had also been
two recent exhibitions of the
print work of Rouault in Birmingham (Miserere) which had also aroused my interest in the artist’s
work.
lThe crucifixion had the typical Rouault heaviness
derived from his strong use
of black. Once colour was added, his pictures looked like stained glass windows.
l I liked the
liveliness that seemed to be implied by the quickly drawn brushstrokes. This form of mark-making, I felt, brought
a closeness between
artist and viewer, who was engaged by both the directness and the richness of the loose style, I also liked the
intensity achieved by the contrast
of bright, rich colours and heavy black lines, although I did not want to incorporate a religious theme.