EXHIBITION TEXT

 Richard’s work formed part of NoHAWKERS’ inaugural exhibition in October 2019, at which he presented gestural images of highway hazard symbols, informed by the animal colouration system known as aposematism*. The work presented here extends that primary idea, that we, as animals have deep associations to certain colours and signs which evolved for survival, reproduction and the success of the human species, regardless of intelligence or conscious thought.

Richard’s new paintings mimic formalist abstraction, the grid and palette of Mondrian and the smooth surfaces of 1960’s minimalist art. Whereas Mondrian expressed notions of spirituality and universality in his abstractions, minimalism eschewed all ideas of meaning beyond the art object. The paintings in this exhibition adopt these forms for their sense of clarity. To reorient this style of painting to a truer basis. 

Viewing Richard’s paintings may trigger or connect with preconscious or innate systems each of us have that led us to reactions such as fight or flight, or seductive attractions. Our senses are primed to pick up on threats and opportunities. Certain colours may evoke uneasiness and discomfort while others charm with serene warmth or a cheeky come-on. The viewer ties the image together with their own idiosyncratic reading.

Dark grids and outlines organise and separate colour blocks, define edges or penetrate forcefully into colour domains. However, the blackness often ‘misbehaves’ or eludes an initial reading. As Richard explains:

“The viewer’s eye groups the blacks together as the ‘same thing’ for efficiency. But they’re not. The blacks reflect the light in ways they shouldn’t. The mind is a prediction machine. The black edges foil those predictions in terms of subtle expectations of reflection, not on a conscious level (unless I point it out!) but affecting how the mind is processing sensory input. Not enough to undermine the ‘wholeness’ of the painting but just enough to confound your sight at a subliminal level. It displaces the painting and puts it into an ‘uncanny’ space. The small cues you use to orient yourself are skewed and you have to accept the painting as SIGN.”

Through these paintings, Richard reminds us to pay close attention. To notice the colour language we share with other species. Our emotions are an alert system, to either move closer to or avoid something. These paintings offer poisons to be seduced by.

*APOSEMATISM (from Greek, apo = away, sema = sign) is the use of warning colouration to inform potential predators that an animal is poisonous, venomous, or otherwise dangerous.

Aposematism always involves an advertising signal which may take the form of conspicuous colouration or other perceivable characteristics. For example, the yellow/black of the wasp or the vibrant red of the ladybird beetle. Aposematic signals are beneficial for both the predator and prey, since both avoid potential harm.