2018
Watercolour on paper
450mm (H) x 450mm (W)
Unframed
This work was part of 'Gloaming' Carleton's debut solo show at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre. 'aphotic' refers to the depth at which in the ocean, little to no light penetrates the water. Here Carleton refers to a deep cloud layer, full of storms and sadness that seemed to block out all light. The accompanying original poem describes the urban scene of the rainstorm as it fills the streets with gloom.
Displayed in wooden tray for inspiration.
My practice centres on sensory perception connected to spatial arts theories of atmosphere, phenomenology, and durational experience informed by Deleuze’s philosophy on affect. I often use colour and material to highlight the nuances of duration and bodily experience found in the everyday or normative sites. Recent works have taken on new materiality and scale with the inclusion of pastels into my primary watercolour practice. My current explorations combine the two mediums to create a visual miasma of colour, which uses the layering and smudging of the pastel media to employ a transparency. These aesthetic mimics the densities of how we perceive moments in mindfulness while the watercolour develops structure and line as planes of encounter with surface and object. These visual languages attempt to tease out the strands of familiar experience that are often hidden from us in the cacophony of the mundane.