Jasper Yorke
Epping Boys High School
WE HAVE TOO MUCH
Printmaking
Lino print on paper, soundscape
My body of work is inspired by my grandparents and the objects they have collected over their lives. I was drawn to their collections - treasures of the past full of stories, hidden objects tucked away in drawers and boxes: carved coconut shells, bronze samurai figures, bones, tools, old photographs. To my grandparents these possessions feel both precious and, as time has passed, burdensome. To me these unusual objects reveal an unseen inner world. My work represents this complexity, each engraved line and repeated print conveying how stories and objects accumulate over time.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Grant Wood, American Gothic; Lucy Culliton, Home exhibition; Michael Landy, Break Down; Christopher Zanko; Francis Gearhart; Kit Hiller;Tracey Emin; Hasui Kawase.
Marker's Commentary
We have too much narrates a couple’s life through their collected possessions. The small vignettes and staged portrait, communicate a sentimental and loving account throughout the body of work. The central portrait engages the viewer through the direct gaze of the subjects and allows us a glimpse into their character. Their closeness, the ordered arrangement of the veranda furnishings and the pride of place of the pet cat shows us the warmth and care that they have created in their home. Reflected views of the landscape broaden our knowledge of their rural world.
The smaller cropped images hone in on the myriad of objects gathered and discarded. Tools and pieces from a working farm to the obligatory animal skeletons and the photographic evidence of a full, long life are depicted in all their chaotic glory. These cluttered compositions and lino cutting technique underpin the idea of ‘…..too much’. The eye constantly sweeps across the surface trying to make sense of each object but is hampered by a deliberate lack of clear delineation between the objects.
The lino cutting is reminiscent of the style and warmth of Australian artist and printmaker Salvatore Zofrea both in the cutting and handling of subject matter. Lino is removed to leave nuanced linework that mimics pencil. It is used descriptively sparking interest and curiosity for the viewer. Black ink on white focuses the audience to explore the objects and the people depicted and an opportunity to form our own narrative.
A recorded conversation with the couple adds personalisation to the work, hearing from the sitters about their possessions that surround their portrait. This audio helps direct the gaze and meaning for the audience in this sensitive and highly refined body of work.