Abstract

This relatively small exhibition builds upon my experimental and self re-vitalising approach to visual research and represents a new departure in pure abstract drawing that reflects my previous work rooted in graphic design. Temple University, in Tokyo, Japan, is the only North American University established within Japan. I was invited to exhibit and also, through a public lecture, disseminate new experimental work. This experimental work forms part of the 'Drawing Group' within the Faculty. Linked to this particular project an International drawing conference, 'Drawing Board', was held, Deanne Petheridge being one of the key note speakers, with papers presented by both Mike Ellis (Australia) and myself. The Drawing Group has established an external editorial board, Chaired by Drew Plunkett of Glasgow School of Art, for the production of refereed publications and curation of touring exhibitions. For the invited exhibition in Japan I extended experiments begun twenty years ago, using inked letter press metal leads. For this project I searched for a new, non-figurative response, in black and white, to musical themes. In general my aim was to develop a subjective response of the creative individual to become the objective illustrative response of the professional artist and designer as an abstract response to formal musical arrangements, which was then disseminated through exhibition and public lecture. The Japanese audience, and peer review, indicated that my works crossed cultural barriers visually and that assimilated responses reflected the differences in spoken language with little impediment to communicated 'feeling'. This research output was a welcome departure from my mainstream outputs.