Breaking down postmodern art, how Saurin Galloway is redefining mixed media through an expansion of materials, and questioning our standard of critique.
About the Artwork:
Our traditional notion of mixed media art is such that the final product is composed of more than one medium. However, very often the process by which a piece is created entails
multiple steps all of which require different media and different skill sets. This series is a procedural exploration of the notion of mixed media that visually mimics the idea of found poetry. While the final work is largely acrylic on wood, the series attempts to redefine mixed media by retaining the aesthetic of the
process by which the final pieces were created. Each piece started as a small collage, to which further pencil drawing was added. The small versions were then scaled up and projected on wooden boards, many of which were taken from abandoned lumber. Further detail was added when the pieces were finally painted. By reproducing each layer of the process,
we see how various mediums come together to create a finished work.
By taking advantage of widely accessible materials such as free magazines and pamphlets, scrap paper, and unfinished sketches, the project questions the hierarchy of media that exists within the art community. What is it that we, the viewers, appreciate when
we consume a piece of art, and how conscious are we of our own perception of the prestige of the medium used in forming our critique?
About the Artist:
Saurin Galloway is a Toronto born artist who was raised in the Western United States. After returning to Toronto to study art at both OCAD and George Brown, he moved to Montreal and received his BFA from Concordia University in 2015. During his time at Concordia, Saurin took a semester abroad to study conceptual art at École des Beaux Arts. It was in Angers where he learned discipline and research methodologies. His latest series, “ReMix” was featured at the 2017 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, and challenged the traditional notion of mixed media as a process. In 2017, Saurin returned once more to Toronto to work on his current series, "Retro in Reveries."
Artist Media Links:
Website: www.sauringalloway.com
Instagram: @sauringalloway