by Fragments IV
FRAGMENTS IV
archival inkjet on Hahnemuhle Wm.Turner paper
61.5 x 82.5 cm. (24.25″ x 32.5″)
I am excited to show off my latest print, just editioned a few days ago and now awaiting trimming and documenting.
FRAGMENTS I to III may be viewed here:
November 1, 2011 in Digital printmaking, Fragments, Printworks by Marja-Leena
Good stuff! It looks like you’re continuing inventing new ways of making what? – installations? I think it’s specifically good that one can’t really explain WHAT these are! Work for the viewers’ brains.
Ripsa, thanks. No, this is a print in two dimensions. I think of an ‘installation’ being in three dimensions yet it does sound very intriguing for this piece since I’ve scanned some 3D objects for it. You and other readers may recognize these from some past posts, most recently with the jute string. As to what it means, that is the mystery which I like to leave for viewers, even for me, so right you are!
By the way, I hope you can see this image clearly, especially the faint background pattern – let me know if you cannot.
You really do come up with the most marvelous and mysterious looking combinations of colour and form. So many elements are echoing back and forth with one another in quiet harmony.
The background is subtle but shows up very well.
Susan, thank you! I’m glad you can see the background alright. I wish you could see this larger, or even better in real life, for there are many very fine details that do not show up on the screen. Even the reds are not appearing as strong here. Ah well.
Hmm, shall have to dig around and see what else you have said about them–I’m not grasping how you do the red (Tuscan red?) pattern over the jute. And what medium is the bottom layer? I’m assuming a print onto which you build…
The floating bits are provokers. Nice!
These are stunning, Marja-Leena and I’m sure the originals are even more impressive when one can see and touch the impressions on paper. You have such an un-erring eye for subtle assemblages of texture, colour and shape. Terrific!
Marly, the various images are in layers in Photoshop, manipulated in place until I achieve what I feel is right. So, the black is the main background with a faint grey pattern layer over it, then the jute layer. Over that is the row of red pictographs and the strips of corroded metal. Then it’s all printed in one run with a wide-format inkjet printer onto paper. There, I’ve revealed my secrets!
Rouchswalwe, thanks as always for your enthusiastic support!
Natalie, thank you! I truly appreciate your words, coming from a fine artist who also uses digital media in some of your work.
Oh, that’s interesting! I really thought the gray was printed onto the black.
Secrets are interesting!
Shall come back and look some more. I have to get Mike off to Morocco…
Marly, the intent is to have each layer look as if it is floating in front of deep black space and that is how they look on the monitor, as I work on them, all backlit and bright. Of course they are physically flat when printed on paper but still suggesting that illusion.
Bon voyage to Mike, hope he won’t be gone too long…
I was going to write “These are stunningly beautiful” and I see that Natalie has used my adjective. But they are truly wonderful. You must be so proud. So can one buy a print?
Anne, thank you so much, I’m so pleased you like these. Yes, my works are for sale, though I still haven’t set up a special sales page. Anyone interested may contact me by email for information. (Click on “contact” at the upper left if you do not have my email address already.)
(By the way, I’m so happy to see you here, Anne. Hope you are feeling better.)
Congratulations! This series is really beautiful, Marja-Leena, and exciting! I love the depth you’ve achieved in the prints, and their mystery, but they’re also calm. The one you’ve posted here has a somewhat Chinese feeling to me…it must be that red…I hope I can see them in person sometime!
The rust and the blood, the strong and the ephemeral, the metal and the fibre, the clarity and the mysterious, floating and static, …. Marja-Leena you are continuing to produce work like no other I have seen, and it intrigues me.
Beth, thank you so much, your words mean a lot to me. Interesting that you say it feels a bit Chinese, another artist friend said Japanese, and yes it must be the red.
Our studio has a brand new wide format inkjet printer that has a true red ink amongst the other usual ones. I’m so thrilled to have it as I’ve always struggled with the magenta to get a true red, a favourite colour of mine.
Olga, oh my, you have stunned me with your wonderful words! You have articulated this piece so perfectly, like I could not. You do this often and I appreciate it tremendously. May I quote you?
You have a great gift for words that I imagine was a valuable skill in your former career as an editor for a publishing house. I need to hire you to write my artists statement.
Thank you.
Marja-Leena, of course you can quote me! Gosh how I would love to have access to a wide format inkjet printer! But I shall concentrate on learning the basics first!!
Olga, that’s great. I’ve already written it into my sketchbook! You are already familiar with digital processes so it would not be hard to jump to a wide format printer. I’m lucky to have access to it in this studio, along with a super technician who helps us learn how to use it. It’s great to learn the hands-on printmaking techniques – I worked with them for decades before the new technologies came along. I do love to learn new methods of creating images.
Gorgeous all, Marja-Leena. Like tiny fetish objects from a forgotten culture.
Dick, fetish objects… I like that, thanks!