Our eighth Commended Entry for Jackson’s Open Painting Prize has been announced! During the JOPP entry period, we will be commending one entry each week that we think is of exceptional quality. All commended entries are automatically added to the longlist meaning they will be considered for the six Category Prizes, the People’s Choice Award, the Shortlist and the Overall Prize. To submit your work, please go to our Jackson’s Open Painting Prize Website.
Commended Entry: Aisling Drennan
‘Moving on Regardless’
Oil paint and charcoal on canvas
100x70x4cm
Artist Description:
‘Drennan’s practice examines the consequence of a mark and the conversation it sparks; possible definites and definite failures. Her approach to painting is playful even irresponsible at times; a concoction of ultimate violation and ultimate indulgence.
Each painting is constructed to a point of completion through paint layering and application of vinyl tape. It is then deconstructed through the removal of tape, revealing painted under layers; a process of finding and losing the painting until visually resolved. There are no preconceived ideas only unfiltered mark making. Gestural marks against hard paint lines suggest graphic expressionism and question the super abstract and the super-contrived on canvas.’
Jackson’s Judging Panel:
‘Aisling Drennan’s work focuses the foundations of painting: balance, texture and expression through mark making. ‘Moving on Regardless’ opens a discussion about the core values of painting, but like every great work of art, it provides only questions, not answers. Information-saturated marks are fractured and warped by the removal of previously placed tape; thick, luscious swathes of paint are unnaturally sliced by icy, thin glazes, revealing distorted windows into equally fragmented underlayers. The versatility of oil paints’ colour and texture is highlighted by a fantastic composition that offers no perspective yet an illusionary sense of depth. Overall, this is an active, thought-provoking and beautiful painting that we think is of an exceptional quality. ‘
View more of Aisling Drennan’s work here.
Thanks for confirming the joy and contemplation of
process. I love abstract. I paint on anything I can find
when things are tight but board and good canvas is a
delight.