Things of August

• Main Author: Ackling, Roger
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Fine Art; Painting; Sculpture; Dark Lake; Iceland
• Online Access: https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/812/

Since 1975, I was working on the simple method of addressing the ageless concern of the relationship between time and place by overexposing the image of the sun through a hand-held lens, burning lines on wood found at the margins, where land meets the sea; discarded, broken, rejected elements from an increasingly materialistic society. The work was made out of doors. At first in England and then at other places on the earth’s surface, in Kenya, Japan, Scotland, Iceland and North America. It is the aspect – the move from the external to the internal – which has changed within my practice. This has not involved any change in my technique, although recently I have been experimenting with the juxtaposition of different visual languages. In April 2003 I had a solo show at Annely Juda Fine Art with the title 'Things of August'. During previous twelve months I have made nine one person shows: three in Japan; two in Australia; one each in Switzerland, Germany, Spain and America; culminating in this show in London. Whereas all my earlier work was made outside in sunlight without altering or adding to the form of the found material, the recent pieces are still made in part by burning horizontal lines on to the wood, but then they are brought inside and at night pins and rubber bands are attached, puncturing the form and adding to the surface. This apparently more playful and lighter language is a counterpoint to what I have always regarded as a sombre, meditative and reflective activity. This new direction does not represent an interest in embellishment or decoration but rather the introduction of language that paradoxically protects and deepens a sense of stillness in the work. A simple visual comparison might be water lilies in flower on an unfathomably dark lake.