Paintings Volume I I
Zander Blom
Paintings Volume II
Zander Blom
Paintings Volume I I 2 013-2 016
Zander Blom
Essay by Nicola Trezzi
Contents
Bestial Modernity: The Art of Zander Blom Nicola Trezzi 7 Plates 21 Studio Photographs 145 Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ 2013-2016 221 Notes 327 List of works 329 Artist statements 345 Exhibitions 355 Bibliography 357
Nicola Trezzi
Bestial Modernity: The Art of Zander Blom
1 Modern art for dinosaurs An animated gif of a T-Rex atop a spinning beach ball welcomes you to Zander Blom’s self-made website; scroll down and another roars out from between two palm trees.1 This peculiar character returns on pages torn from second-hand monographs on Piet Mondrian and Mark Rothko, which the artist has enriched – at the same time violated – with drawings of Tyrannosaurus rex rendered in lines of black crayon.2 This decision – to link his contemporary take on these heroes of modernism to one of the most brutal animals ever to exist on planet earth – provides a taste of Blom’s ‘bestial modernity’. The oxymoron, which gives this essay its title, encapsulates his desire to make works that take modernity to its ultimate state, which is, despite its premises, wild,3 animalistic, primal and instinctive. Testifying to this is how,
1 During one of my studio visits with Blom in Cape Town, I asked him why he included images of dinosaurs in his books and website. His answer was vague, the apparent randomness of his choice mirroring his cryptic attitude towards the written articulation of his position. In other words, the answer is there, you just have to decode it. 2 The use of the word ‘rendered’ refers deliberately to the language of Adobe Photoshop software and thus the connection between Blom’s paintings and digital graphics, mirrored in the use of the black, almost continuous line in his drawings. Also see note 10.
3 The notion of ‘Tropical Modernism’ was brought to the field of visual art by French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster. It is mostly affiliated to architecture – the term used to refer to modernist design that was responsive to and affected by its tropical location – with examples such as Affonso Eduardo Reidy’s MAM – Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, and Le Corbusier’s Palace of Assembly in Chandigarh, India, both completed in 1955.
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when people see his work in reality, they forget all etiquette, wanting literally (and metaphorically) to put their fingers in it.4 It is important to identify the artist’s perspective on this big thing called ‘modernism’. Emphatically distancing himself from the rather unattractive and dated idea of ‘postmodernism’, Blom’s approach has the following twist: modernity remains in our minds and in our souls; at the same time, we must acknowledge that our brains (= mind) and our hearts (= soul) are not primary-coloured square and rectangular shapes but are rather brownish, curved and irregular forms – in other words, yes, we are animals. With this understanding in his mind and soul, in his brain and heart, Blom makes ‘modern art for dinosaurs’,5 taking the pristine monochromatic shapes that epitomised modernism and grafting them with fragmented multicoloured forms. This self-contradictory attitude is exemplified by Untitled, 2016 [1.785, plate 66],6 a 250 × 110cm oil on linen7 that is an absolutely ‘bipolar’ work of art. Its bottom part is filled with a set of monochromatic shapes that are falling, overthrown (only some white shapes remain in the upper side) by a fierce couple – perhaps male and female ‘painting animals’ – of irregular forms. This kind of fight, or intercourse,8 between modern shapes and bestial forms is the matrix, the ‘Adam and Eve’, of all Blom’s paintings. We see this clearly in other works – at times a real battlefield, a real orgy (see Untitled [1.752, plate 59], Untitled [1.754, p299], Untitled [1.753, p300] and Untitled [1.759, plate 60], all 2015); at other times playing with direct references to art historical moments, like Mondrian’s Victory Boogie-Woogie, 19449 (see the diptych Untitled, 2016 [1.760, plate 61]).
4 The strong tactile aspect of Blom’s work – the artist recounts that even his gallerist cannot help but touch the paintings when he comes for a studio visit – places his work in relation to others that have been ‘physically approached’ in different ways and with varying purposes. Such events include Cambodian Rindy Sam’s kiss of Cy Twombly’s painting Phaedrus – she was ‘overcome with passion’ – and Russian artist Alexander Brener’s spray-painting of a green dollar sign on Kazimir Malevich’s painting Suprematism – an act that generated a large debate around art and vandalism.
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5 The phrase ‘modern art for dinosaurs’ echoes Bruno Latour’s seminal book We Have Never Been Modern, 1991, a key reference in contemporary art discourse, from dOCUMENTA (13)’s ‘nonconcept’, which was deeply informed by a nonanthropological understanding of reality, to the philosophical trends known as ‘speculative realism’ and ‘object-oriented ontology’. See Andrew Cole, ‘Those Obscure Objects of Desire: On the uses and abuses of object-oriented ontology and speculative realism’, Artforum (Summer 2015): 319-23. 6 I would like to thank Marc Barben for bringing my attention to this specific work.
fig. 1 Zander Blom, Untitled from Modern Painting: Piet Mondrian, 2015, mixed media on paper (drawn on top of Mondrian’s Pencil sketch for Victory Boogie-Woogie)
7 I discuss the oil-on-linen equation in part 3, ‘Stains, cracks, drips’. 8 Perhaps the strongest image from popular culture of the destruction of dichotomies in favour of a conception rooted in paradoxes and oxymora is the last scene of the film Prometheus, 2012 – directed by Ridley Scott and considered a prequel to his Alien, 1979 – in which life and death, creation and destruction, pregnancy and disease come together in the revealing of the true nature of the first ‘Xenomorph’. 9 This Mondrian masterpiece, his last work, left unfinished, encapsulates the impossibility of modernism and offers the ultimate cure for the
mistakes of postmodernism. In other words, the fact that Victory Boogie-Woogie was left incomplete due to the artist’s death introduces the notion of decay to that which is supposedly immortal, generating a new understanding of modernism through the awareness that these perfect perpendicular forms – abstract, perennial – were made by a human being, whose forms were curved, concrete, temporary and mortal.
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2 Digital craft The continuous tension between opposites, as discussed with regard to ‘bestial modernity’, is as strongly present in Blom’s relationship to the medium of painting. This emerges through the tension between the way Blom’s works are rendered 10 and the way they appear to us. In fact many of the effects11 that make his paintings so unique have a paradoxical digital aura; in other words, they look as though they were made by a machine rather than by a human being. Here the notion of abstraction becomes directly linked to mathematical algorithms,12 as if Blom’s signature application of oil paint through the movement of the spatula could be reached by means of a mechanical arm guided by a computer programmed to create that specific result. At the same time it is clear from the very first moment you see them that Blom’s works are handmade, that they are refined pieces of craftsmanship with an almost robotic perfection,13 achieved through talent, devotion and daily practice. Therefore we find ourselves in front of a series of objects – the paintings – which bring into question the differences between the natural and the artificial,14 between the digital and the analog,15 between painting and technology. ‘Painting After Technology’ is indeed an important subtitle within the discourse generated by Blom’s work. It is interesting to note that artists have always been intrigued by the desire to express technological developments with traditional media, from the Futurists16 to Laura Owens. By creating paintings
10 Although the word ‘rendering’ had its own history and etymology – from the late 14th century ‘repeat, say again’, from Old French rendre, which means ‘give back, present, yield’ (10th century), and from Vulgar Latin rendere, formed by dissimilation or analogy with its antonym, prendre, ‘to take’ – its current use is mostly associated with Abode Photoshop, a raster graphics editor created in 1988 by Thomas and John Knoll. 11 Like ‘rendering’ (see note 10), the word ‘effects’ has also been affiliated with Adobe Photoshop, and by consequence with digital culture. After Effects, a digital visual effects, motion graphics and compositing application mostly used in
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filmmaking and television production, was created in 1993 and became part of Adobe in 1994. 12 Many artists have been seduced by the power of mathematical theories, from Leonardo da Vinci’s collaboration with mathematician Luca Bartolomeo de Pacioli, to Sol Lewitt’s appropriation of mathematical themes and Mario Merz’s obsession with the Fibonacci formula. 13 See Nicola Trezzi, ‘Robots are made of flesh: Notes on Matteo Callegari’s work’, exhibition text for solo show at Carl Kostyál in London: http://www.kostyal.com/exhibitions/ matteo-callegari/text/ 14 See part 3, ‘Stains, cracks, drips’.
using techniques that incorporate elements of technology, in their process and/or aesthetic, they put an end to the idea of painting as something that is antithetical to technology.17 Here science fiction, in books and movies, provides an interesting metaphor for the notion of ‘digital craft’. Just like the emotional droids of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, 1968,18 Blom’s paintings are rigid and robotic as if generated by mathematical calculations and at the same time vivid and animalistic as if made by primordial creatures.
fig. 2 B lom’s studio in Gardens, Cape Town, 2016
15 See Nicola Trezzi, ‘Auf meinen fingerspitzen’, Monopol (Berlin: September 2015): 78-80. 16 An art historical link can productively be drawn between Blom’s painting techniques, which are informed by digital technology, to certain positions in the so-called avant-garde: from the Manifesto della Aeropittura, written in 1929 by a group of artists affiliated to Futurism, to the notion of ‘chromoluminarism’ coined by Georges Seurat in 1884 and later renamed ‘pointillism’ and ‘divisionism’. 17 At the time of writing, Tate Modern’s Room 7 (Level 2 East) – arranged by Curator of International Art Mark Godfrey under the title
‘Painting After Technology’ – includes works by Sigmar Polke, Christopher Wool, Tomma Abts, Laura Owens, Wade Guyton, Albert Oehlen, Amy Sillman, Jacqueline Humphries and Charline von Heyl. It is not a coincidence that more and more painters are looking at, incorporating, appropriating and considering the ‘digital’ as an impetus for their painting practice, which happens to be the most analog among all media within the landscape of contemporary art and yet the simplest to ‘copy’ as a digital image via photography. 18 South Africa and especially the city of Johannesburg – where Blom developed his first body of work and related book, The Drain of
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3 Stains, cracks, drips Among many issues related to his oeuvre,19 the artist’s first and now second catalogues raisonnés reflect the essential spirit behind his work. The clearest manifestation of this position is the last section of both books, which includes the list of works, all ‘untitled’20 and all ‘oil on linen’.21 The fact that only sizes (and codes) differentiate one work from the others immediately brings us to the three specific channels through which Blom’s work can be perceived. The first one, which is the most apparent and direct, is the artist’s desire to acknowledge the history of painting, to declare his devotion to this medium, to ‘stick’ to his ultimate materials – the canvas, which means (almost exclusively) unprimed raw Belgian linen,22 and the oil. The second points to a specific branch within the history of painting, which can be called ‘painting as objects’: from Lucio Fontana’s cuts to Robert Ryman’s white-on-white, from John Henderson’s casts to Matteo Callegari’s display solutions, and all that is in between. Blom’s work refuses the sole authority of the picture plane in order to embrace a sculptural understanding of painting, which consists of seeing no hierarchies between the front and the back, between the shapes created and the material that creates these shapes, between the visual output and the tactile feeling generated.23 The third and less predictable channel consists of a ‘geological’ understanding of his artworks as masses of two different elements – the paint and the canvas – that are continuously interacting with each other and changing each other’s chemical status.
Progress – have lent themselves to science fiction scenarios, as in Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, 2009. Through this filter Blom’s work can be interpreted as a political action and a commentary on the reality surrounding him, although a very subtle and acrobatic one. 19 A continuation of Blom’s position in which oppositional stances cohabit (first of all the bestial and the modern) is the artist’s attitude toward the distribution of his oeuvres. This word is deliberately chosen, in place of the more colloquial ‘artworks’, in order to emphasise the paradox whereby a young artist produces a lavish catalogue raisonné every few years, including all
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the works made in this short interval of time. This action, perpetuated with the artist’s partner in crime – his gallery and publisher, Stevenson – becomes more complex when one recognises the irony that lies beneath such a proper and classical object (this book and its predecessor); this text itself walks a thin line between ‘official hermeneutics’ and ‘low-brow action’. 20 During a studio visit I discussed with the artist his use of Untitled for all his paintings; his motivation, here paraphrased, comes from a desire to avoid any poetical tone and consequent misunderstanding about his work. In other words, and here his bestial modernity rises again, Blom
fig. 3 Alberto Burri, Cretto G1, 1975, acrylic on board, 171 × 151cm
fig. 4 Z ander Blom, Untitled [1.628], 2014, oil on linen, 198 × 198cm
doesn’t want alphabetic language to determine how the work should be read, but for it to remain open to all kinds of audiences – human, animal, ancient Egyptian or even extraterrestrial. 21 The artist has used acrylic and glue but so rarely (acrylic) and only functionally (glue) that this detail should not influence the conceptual and historical implications behind the limited and specific choice of materials in his work. 22 In the newest body of work included in this book, Blom has created his sfumato on separate pieces of canvas that he subsequently applies to the larger canvas of the work. During my studio visits I asked him about this choice and his answer
was illuminating (again here paraphrased): why become a slave to a laborious technique when you can find a way that is less pedantic and still organic to the painting ecosystem? 23 For more on ‘painting as object’, see Nicola Trezzi, ‘USA: Amerikai Egyesült Absztraktok’, Flash Art Hungary ( July 2012): 52-57.
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This never-ending interaction is evident in Untitled, 2014 [1.628, plate 30, fig. 4], a 198 × 198cm oil on linen in which three volumes of black paint occupy the unprimed canvas. This painting communicates the primal and natural status of all Blom’s paintings by means of its composition: three black continents emerging from a sea of linen. When analysed closely this ‘geological painting’ reveals its true nature: the impasto24 is so thick it not only bleeds oil onto the canvas – this ‘emanation’ is common in Blom’s paintings – but the canvas itself has been dripping resin onto the ground – first at Stevenson’s Cape Town gallery and now, two years later, forming a stalactite above the floor of the gallery’s storage space. This is the most visible symptom of its everchanging condition, which includes, beside the leaks and the drips, also several cracks, connecting Blom’s painting-as-fault to a generation of painters from Alberto Burri [fig. 3] to Ryan Sullivan.25 4 Ostinato In music, ostinato (stubborn) is the act of repeating the same motif with the same musical voice and the same pitch. Its direct descendant is the notion of the sample or riff, which is defined by the appropriation26 of a specific portion of a song, usually its refrain, and its subsequent insertion within a new song, usually belonging to the genre of hiphop.27 What does this have to do with Blom’s art? In fact a lot! From his very first series to his most recent, the artist has been using the
24 The word ‘impasto’ – which describes the painting technique in which a thick layer of paint is laid on an area of the surface, leaving the brush or painting-knife strokes visible, often mixing different colours directly on the canvas, giving a specific tactile appearance and a sculptural texture – is also used for its historical relevance. 25 On the influence of Alberto Burri – celebrated with a major retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016 – on contemporary painting, see ‘Ryan Sullivan’, Empire State: New York Art Now! (2013: exhibition catalogue, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome): 184.
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26 In the field of contemporary art, ‘appropriation’ has a very specific connotation since it became the key word used to define the practice of artists associated with the so-called ‘Pictures Generation’ – from the legendary exhibition Pictures organised by Douglas Crimp at the Artists Space in New York in 1977 – including Sherrie Levine (Crimp’s point of reference) and Jack Goldstein (who studied with David Salle under John Baldessari at CalArts), as well as Louise Lawler, Sarah Charlesworth, Cindy Sherman and Richard Prince (who didn’t actually take part in the show). With all due distinctions, these artists have in common the
aforementioned techniques within the realm of painting. This habit has developed so much over the years that it is necessary to make a distinction between sampling and riffing in relation to Blom’s practice. In this text the term ‘sampling’ will be used for the appropriation of a particular technical solution that is associated with a specific artist, while the term ‘riffing’ will be used where Blom has inserted elements from other artists’ work more broadly, as a basis for his paintings. In other words, with sampling Blom does what Eminem did with the single Stan, 2000, which appropriated verbatim a section of Dido’s Thank You, 1998; with riffing, he does what Destiny’s Child did with Bootylicious, 2001, the base of which consists of a guitar riff from Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen, 1981. Accordingly, we can trace Blom’s sampling of Jackson Pollock’s drippings in many of his works created between 2013 and 2014, especially Untitled, 2013 [1.446, p241], a 92 × 65cm oil on linen later destroyed by the artist. We can see Mondrian’s squares in many works such as the aforementioned diptych Untitled, 2016 [1.760, plate 61]; Gerhard Richter’s spatula scraps are reinterpreted and turned into a pattern that is a fixture in many of Blom’s works, while Untitled, 2014 [1.666, p275], a 152.5 × 107.5cm oil on linen, is the perfect Rothko sample. When it comes to riffing, we can see Blom’s approach in the Henri Matisse-inspired silhouettes dancing in Untitled, 2014 [1.622, plate 27], and in the white field hosting a ‘chromatic choreography’, à la Ryman, in Untitled, 2014 [1.665, p277]. Pablo Picasso’s twisted figures are filtered in Untitled, 2015 [1.758, p299],
use of photographs – from different sources, from the history of photography and art to advertisements and newspapers – which are ‘cropped’ (physically and conceptually) in order to recontextualise them within the field of art; they are thus transformed from mass-produced images to elitist ‘objects of desire’ (the title of a photo series by Charlesworth), following a path inaugurated by Marcel Duchamp’s readymade and reinforced by Guy Debord’s détournement. See Douglas Eklund (ed.), The Pictures Generation, 1974–1984 (2009: exhibition catalogue, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).
27 A complete outsider to criticism or analysis related to the field of music, I must acknowledge my ‘visual experience’ of music through MTV in the late 1990s to early 2000s. It was through this TV channel, which was free in Italy at that time, that I became familiar with terms such as ‘sample’and ‘riff ’.
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fig. 5 Simon Hantaï, Tabula jaune, 1975, lithograph, 62.5 × 85cm
fig. 6 Zander Blom, Untitled [1.394], 2013, oil and graphite on linen, 32 × 24.5cm
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while Francis Bacon’s compositional solutions, his mastery of the background/foreground relationship, has been a true obsession for Blom, as is evident in his earliest paintings such as Untitled [1.1], [1.4] and [1.5], all 2010.28 In a series of small oil and graphite works on unstretched linen [fig. 6 & p232], Blom looks at Simon Hantaï [fig. 5], while Untitled, 2010 [1.2], is a clear take on Frank Stella’s famous black paintings. All the connections to the aforementioned masters in Blom’s work must not be understood as homages to senior figures of painting. Although Blom is aware of the genealogy of the medium of painting – its trajectory, history and protagonists – his actions are never tributes; quite the opposite: the artist is behaving as a voracious beast with an appetite for certain shapes and forms, whose preferences are made clear. Through his work Blom doesn’t even steal29 – he attacks and devours the legacy of painting. 5 Polaris and Ursa Minor This hyperbolic journey into the modern bestiality of Blom’s paintings would not be complete without an investigation of the artist’s so-called ‘practice at large’, which means to understand Blom’s paintings as the shining star (Polaris) of a larger constellation to be discovered (Ursa Minor). Having examined his relationship to modernity, his unique mix of craft and the digital, his understanding
28 Another main topic of my conversations with Blom has been the influence of Francis Bacon, a reference that has been brought up several times in connection to his work. I presented to the artist my thesis advocating against this connection, despite the many proofs contra my position, from both artists’ use of the studio – a big cave, a big stomach which continuously ‘ruminates’ – to the presence of works in which Blom clearly refers to Bacon. The main factor in my thesis is that Bacon’s paintings are not only masterpieces of composition, technique, colour balance and knowledge of the history of painting – all features shared by Blom – but also
the embodiment of a tormented soul; they are deeply and intrinsically emotionally charged. This aspect, which cannot be disregarded, makes this association misleading in terms of Blom’s real position, which is more attuned to figures from his own generation and far from any kind of pathos. (See also note 20 on the lack of titles in Blom’s paintings.) 29 A reference to Picasso’s famous quote, ‘Good artists copy, great artists steal’. (See also note 26 on appropriation.)
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fig. 7 B lom’s studio in Brixton, Johannesburg, 2013
30 See Blom’s The Drain of Progress: A Catalogue Raisonné (2007) and Paintings Volume I (2013). 31 Blom’s books comprise two very different kinds of objects. While this book, together with The Drain of Progress: A Catalogue Raisonné and Paintings Volume I, serves as the official channel of distribution, main reference for provenance, and material archive for all his paintings (even those that have been destroyed by the artist himself ), there is another category of books, which we can define as ‘artist books’, which have a completely different life, being the direct materialisation of Blom’s creative force. The latter are as powerful as his paintings,
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they are energised by his bestial modernity, and they provide the key for many concepts and ideas that stay hidden behind the many layers that constitute the complex language of his paintings. Chief among these books is Blom’s Modern Painting: Piet Mondrian, 2016, which consists of fragments (pages), including the front and back cover (but not the spine!), of several monographs, books and catalogues on the work of Mondrian, which the artist has ‘raped’ with his drawings, some featuring dinosaurs, scanned, rearranged and bound together to create a sort of Frankenstein – or The Modern Prometheus (see note 8) as
of the primal elements of painting, and his appropriation of technical and compositional elements by pivotal figures from the development of abstraction in 20th century art movements, it is time to contextualise his paintings in relation to other bodies of work that he has created simultaneously. First of all it is important to underscore the central role played by the studio, as described on previous occasions [fig. 7].30 Cavelike, every surface completely covered by work-related objects – posters, papers, boxes of colours, rolls of canvas – Blom’s studio is the ultimate synthesis between the chaotic, unordered (and bestial) act of creation and the creation itself (the paintings), which is, in opposition, pristine (and ultimately modern). But the studio is also the locus for experimentation, from which Blom’s work emerges as a constellation of different outputs. These tentacles include noise music (created in a separate adjacent room), his books,31 the yet-tobe-shown ‘palette paintings’,32 and his drawings. The drawings are particularly relevant because they allow the artist to express issues that will never surface in the paintings,33 and yet remain part of their DNA. In fact, through analysis of his drawings one can really tune into Blom’s rhythm, and become more and more familiar with his modus operandi, his strong connection to writing and to calligraphy, and the notion of painting not only as a pure act but also as something mundane, quotidian – related to sketching or even scribbling. It also shows the artist’s engagement with supports other than unprimed linen, whether white cotton paper, the ideal surface
Mary Shelley subtitled her 1818 book – full of ‘Jurassic tattoos’. 32 In relation to Blom’s palette paintings, which have been shown rarely and remain a ‘tentacle’ of his practice that still needs to be properly addressed, even before an extensive critical investigation I would recommend the work of American artist Ann Craven, who has created a very complex parable in which her (figurative) paintings, ‘stripe paintings’ and ‘palette paintings’ constitute the DNA of her unique practice, alongside editions, books, prints and other ‘tentacles’. 33 Figuration is the most obvious of these issues.
34 ‘We will not be ashamed to confess it, after it has been recognized and expressed by many great men. The Vedas and Puranas know no better simile for the whole knowledge of the actual world, called by them the web of Māyā, than the dream, and they use none more frequently.’ Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, Volume 1 (1969: trans. from the German by E. F. J. Payne, Dover Publications, Inc., New York): 17. Schopenhauer appropriates Māyā – a figure of Hinduism symbolising illusion among other interpretations – in order to articulate his concepts of ‘representation’ – how the world
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for his meditative black-ink, calligraphy-like drawings, or those pages of old monographs on artists such as Mondrian and Rothko, which Blom ‘assaults’ with his aforementioned dinosaur drawings. In fact the latter body of work, in which printed photographic reproductions of modernist shapes, like the masterpieces of Mondrian, are paired with the wild T-Rexes drawn in black wax crayon, allows one to really understand the complex and contradictory nature of Blom’s art. In the terms of Arthur Schopenhauer’s appropriation of the web of Maya as philosophical trope,34 if Blom’s paintings can be considered his ‘representation’, affirming his position, as a painter, as an artist, to the world, his drawings are his ‘will’, the thing behind the veil, the magmatic truth, the lava beneath our terrestrial crust. Through this dichotomy Blom offers us his ‘bestial modernity’, a remedy to a reality, our reality, a porous one,35 which is rooted in oxymora, in coexisting oppositions and unsolvable contradictions.36
appears to us, veiled by illusions, a projection of our own mind – and ‘will’ – how the world really is, in its true nature, its essence, going beyond time and space. 35 See Nicola Trezzi, ‘[ ’םימי העבשSeven Days], Erev Rav (2014): http://www.erev-rav.com/ archives/27833 36 The notion of ‘unsolvable contradictions’ can perhaps be applied to the clashes that continue to dominate South African society after more than 20 years of democracy. Again, far away from any direct political reading of Blom’s work, it might be intriguing to read this aspect of his practice as influenced by the
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many paradoxes – concerning security, race, criminality, the presence of wild nature within urban environments, western and African culture – permeating all aspects of daily life in South Africa.
Plates
plate 1 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.337 23
plate 2 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 122 × 99.5cm 1.339 24
plate 3 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 50.5 × 50.5cm 1.354 25
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plate 4 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.340 27
plate 5 Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 60 × 44cm 1.372 28
plate 6 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 189 × 130cm 1.379 29
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plate 7 Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 158 × 143cm 1.428 31
32
plate 8 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 28.5 × 38cm 1.364 33
plate 9 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 32 × 24.5cm 1.394 34
plate 10 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 40 × 32.5cm 1.390 35
plate 11 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 33 × 47cm 1.403 36
plate 12 Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 32.5 × 40cm 1.398 37
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plate 13 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 163 × 130cm 1.493 39
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plate 14 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 192 × 130.5cm 1.495 41
plate 15 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen Diptych 239 × 169cm each 1.513 42
43
plate 16 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 44 × 44cm 1.471 44
plate 17 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 50 × 50cm 1.473 45
46
plate 18 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 239 × 177cm 1.515 47
48
plate 19 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 260 × 177cm 1.520 49
50
plate 20 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 100 × 100cm 1.564 51
52
plate 21 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 152.5 × 107.5cm 1.568 53
54
plate 22 Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 240 × 145cm 1.567 55
plate 23 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120.5 × 30.5cm 1.577 56
plate 24 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 177cm 1.573 57
58
plate 25 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 55.5 × 50cm 1.605 59
60
plate 26 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 260 × 190cm 1.631 61
62
plate 27 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 238 × 143.5cm 1.622 63
plate 28 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 169cm 1.633 64
plate 29 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 260 × 190cm 1.629 65
66
plate 30 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.628 67
plate 31 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.644 68
plate 32 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120 × 80cm 1.645 69
70
plate 33 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 24.5 × 38cm 1.647 71
plate 34 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120 × 80cm 1.670 72
plate 35 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.678 73
plate 36 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44 × 30cm 1.654 74
plate 37 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.689 75
76
plate 38 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 197.5 × 150cm 1.639 77
plate 39 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.690 78
plate 40 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.691 79
plate 41 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 45 × 45cm 1.683 80
plate 42 Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.687 81
82
plate 43 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 250 × 198cm 1.727 83
plate 44 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 260 × 198cm 1.715 84
plate 45 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.714 85
86
plate 46 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 61 × 61cm 1.713 87
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plate 47 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 210 × 150cm 1.733 89
90
plate 48 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 260 × 198 1.729 91
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plate 49 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 163 × 129.5cm 1.739 93
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plate 50 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 239.5 × 170cm 1.740 95
plate 51 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.697 96
plate 52 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.701 97
plate 53 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 125 × 125cm 1.705 98
plate 54 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.702 99
plate 55 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.747 100
plate 56 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.743 101
plate 57 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.764 102
plate 58 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 240cm 1.742 103
104
plate 59 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 250 × 198cm 1.752 105
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plate 60 Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.759 107
plate 61 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen Diptych 158 × 158cm each 1.760 108
109
110
plate 62 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 170 × 250cm 1.779 111
112
plate 63 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 260 × 177cm 1.767 113
114
plate 64 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 210 × 150cm 1.776 115
plate 65 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen Diptych 198 × 140; 198 × 150cm 1.782 116
117
plate 66 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 110cm 1.785 118
plate 67 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 220 × 100cm 1.790 119
120
plate 68 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.777 121
122
plate 69 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.797 123
124
plate 70 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 198cm 1.796 125
plate 71 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 100 × 35cm 1.795 126
plate 72 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.804 127
plate 73 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 211 × 150cm 1.807 128
plate 74 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 180cm 1.830 129
130
plate 75 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 87 × 62cm 1.821 131
plate 76 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 173 × 120cm 1.808 132
plate 77 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 101 × 51cm 1.813 133
plate 78 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 82 × 55cm 1.817 134
plate 79 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 82 × 55cm 1.818 135
plate 80 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 121 × 44cm 1.826 136
plate 81 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.837 137
plate 82 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.836 138
plate 83 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.844 139
plate 84 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen Triptych 198 × 65cm; 198 × 130cm; 198 × 65cm 1.847 140
141
142
plate 85 Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.849 143
Studio Photographs
Brixton, Johannesburg 2013-2014 Gardens, Cape Town 2014-2016
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Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ 2013-2016
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 198 × 140cm 1.332
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 192 × 130cm 1.334
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 198 × 150cm 1.333
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 75 × 40.5cm 1.345
223
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.337
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 125 × 125cm 1.338
plate 1
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 122 × 99.5cm 1.339 plate 2
224
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 50.5 × 50.5cm 1.354 plate 3
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 75 × 40.5cm 1.347
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 105 × 75.5cm 1.341
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 92 × 65.5cm 1.342
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.340 plate 4
Untitled 2012 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.336
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.335
225
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76.5 × 56.5cm 1.349
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65 × 65cm 1.375
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 56 × 38cm 1.355
Untitled 013 Oil on linen 72 × 50cm 1.352
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 60 × 49.5cm 1.353
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 61 × 61cm 1.351 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 85 × 45.5cm 1.344
226
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 75.5 × 45.5cm 1.346
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 69 × 72cm 1.350
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 56 × 42.5cm 1.356
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 56 × 38.5cm 1.357
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 56 × 38.5cm 1.358
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 38 × 28.5cm 1.359
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 38 × 56.5cm 1.360
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 65 × 50cm 1.363
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 76 × 56.5cm 1.348
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 41 × 28cm 1.365
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 38 × 38cm 1.370
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 28cm 1.367
227
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 65 × 82cm 1.343
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 28.5 × 38cm 1.364
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 44 × 38cm 1.368
plate 8
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 25.5 × 38cm 1.369
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 37 × 30.5cm 1.384
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 38.5 × 29cm 1.386
228
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 35.5 × 39cm 1.387
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 40 × 30cm 1.380
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 30 × 26cm 1.382
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 189 × 130cm 1.379 plate 6
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 28.5 × 38cm 1.361
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 38 × 25.5cm 1.362
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 49 × 37cm 1.383
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 40 × 30cm 1.381
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 34.5 × 27.5cm 1.385
229
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 56 × 38cm 1.371
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 60 × 44cm 1.372
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 75 × 35cm 1.373
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 87 × 62cm 1.376
plate 5
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 122 × 85cm 1.377
230
Untitled 2013 Oil, acrylic and graphite on linen 122 × 85cm 1.378
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 56 × 38cm 1.411
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 41 × 28.5cm 1.366
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 76 × 56cm 1.374
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 40 × 54.5cm 1.397
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 42 × 45cm 1.399
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 29.5 × 42cm 1.402
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.421
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 56.5 × 42cm 1.412
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65 × 65cm 1.426
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 38cm 1.407
Destroyed by the artist
231
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 32.5 × 40cm 1.398
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 31.5 × 40.5cm 1.388
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 28.5 × 24cm 1.395
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 36 × 28cm 1.391
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 30 × 23.5cm 1.396
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 32 × 24.5cm 1.394
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 40 × 32.5cm 1.390
plate 9
plate 10
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 31 × 40cm 1.400
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 33 × 47cm 1.403
plate 12
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 39 × 30cm 1.389
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 41 × 30cm 1.392
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 39.5 × 30cm 1.393
plate 11
232
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 41 × 33cm 1.438
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38.5 × 28.5cm 1.404
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 32.5 × 40.5cm 1.401
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65.5 × 55.5cm 1.418
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 28cm 1.405
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65 × 65cm 1.425
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
233
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 38cm 1.406
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 44 × 38cm 1.413
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 60 × 44cm 1.414
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.424
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.422
234
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 44 × 38cm 1.415 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65 × 50cm 1.409
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 76 × 56cm 1.423
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 60 × 49cm 1.420
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 60 × 44cm 1.416
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 72.5 × 50cm 1.419
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 56 × 38cm 1.408
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 42 × 56cm 1.427
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 158 × 143cm 1.428
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.429
plate 7
Destroyed by the artist
235
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 153 × 107cm 1.430
236
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 158 × 143cm 1.432
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 175 × 120cm 1.433
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 92 × 65cm 1.445
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 175 × 120cm 1.435
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 82 × 82cm 1.437
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.440
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 91 × 62cm 1.452
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 95 × 61cm 1.444
Untitled 2013 Oil, acrylic and graphite on linen 122 × 92cm 1.436
Destroyed by the artist
237
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 122 × 93cm 1.434
238
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.453
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 153 × 107cm 1.439
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 87 × 71cm 1.448
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.464
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 88 × 63cm 1.451
Untitled 2013 Acrylic on linen 90 × 40cm 1.449
Untitled 2013 Acrylic on linen 120 × 81cm 1.456
Destroyed by the artist
239
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 87 × 72cm 1.454
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 198 × 140cm 1.441
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 122 × 93cm 1.431
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 87 × 63cm 1.450
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.457
240
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.463
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 92 × 65cm 1.446 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 93cm 1.455
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.458
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 90 × 65cm 1.460
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.462
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 72 × 70cm 1.442
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 87 × 62cm 1.443
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 102 × 80cm 1.447
Destroyed by the artist
241
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 105 × 75cm 1.461
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 105 × 75cm 1.465
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 85 × 50.5cm 1.479
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 87 × 71cm 1.480 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 120cm 1.459
242
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 50 × 50cm 1.473
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 44 × 44cm 1.471
plate 17
plate 16
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 50 × 50cm 1.472
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.469
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 83 × 82cm 1.467
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.468
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.474
243
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 87 × 71cm 1.481
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 158 × 143cm 1.470
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 82 × 82cm 1.482
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 99.5cm 1.484
244
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 82 × 82cm 1.483
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 85.5cm 1.486
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122.5 × 99.5cm 1.492
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 99.5cm 1.487
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 112 × 112cm 1.491
Destroyed by the artist
245
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 90 × 46.5cm 1.478
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 80 × 45.5cm 1.476 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 130cm 1.502
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 90 × 46.5cm 1.477
246
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 90 × 46cm 1.475
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.494
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 120cm 1.498
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 192 × 130.5cm 1.495
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122.5 × 92cm 1.488
plate 14
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 163 × 130cm 1.493
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 121.5 × 99cm 1.485
plate 13
247
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 112 × 112cm 1.490
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.489
248
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 130cm 1.503
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 120.5cm 1.499
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.507
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.500
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.497
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
249
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 163 × 130cm 1.496
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.501
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.508
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.509
Destroyed by the artist
250
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.510
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 239 × 144cm 1.512
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 260 × 177cm 1.514
251
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 239 × 144cm 1.511
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 120.5cm 1.505 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.506 Destroyed by the artist
252
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 239 × 169cm 1.519
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 239 × 177cm 1.515
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 260 × 177cm 1.520
plate 18
plate 19
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 260 × 177cm 1.518
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.504
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 239 × 177cm 1.516
253
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen Diptych, 239 × 169cm each 1.513 plate 15
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.517 Destroyed by the artist
254
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 28.5cm 1.524
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 26 × 30cm 1.521
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 28.5cm 1.523
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 38 × 28cm 1.522
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 32 × 44cm 1.527
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 24 × 30cm 1.525
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 25.5 × 38cm 1.526
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 45.5 × 80cm 1.534
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 60 × 39cm 1.538
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 60 × 44cm 1.539
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.544
255
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 30.5 × 120cm 1.528
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 30.5 × 120cm 1.529
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 30 × 120cm 1.530
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 30.5 × 120cm 1.531
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 35.5 × 140cm 1.532 Destroyed by the artist
256
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 30 × 120cm 1.533
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 60 × 90cm 1.535
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 50 × 72cm 1.536
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65 × 50cm 1.540
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 90 × 40cm 1.541
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 50cm 1.549
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 87 × 62cm 1.545
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65 × 65cm 1.542
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 76 × 50cm 1.543
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
257
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 82 × 55cm 1.537
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 90 × 46cm 1.561 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 38 × 28cm 1.550
258
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 56 × 42cm 1.558
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 87 × 71cm 1.559
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 174.5 × 120cm 1.546
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.547
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 215 × 162cm 1.548
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 72 × 50cm 1.555 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 87 × 62cm 1.557
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.560 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.565
Untitled 2013 Oil and acrylic on linen 95 × 61cm 1.562
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 189 × 140cm 1.566
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 72 × 50cm 1.556
259
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 82 × 82cm 1.551
Untitled 2013 Oil and graphite on linen 56 × 38cm 1.553
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 44 × 44cm 1.563
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 128 × 125cm 1.552
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 100 × 100cm 1.564 plate 20
260
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 240 × 145cm 1.567
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 152.5 × 107.5cm 1.568
plate 22
plate 21
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 120 × 30.5cm 1.571
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 152.5 × 107.5cm 1.569
261
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 50 × 72.5cm 1.572
Untitled 2013 Oil on linen 65.5 × 50.5cm 1.570
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 144cm 1.575
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 50.5 × 50.5cm 1.582
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120.5 × 30.5cm 1.577 plate 23
262
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 170cm 1.574
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 177cm 1.573
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 197.5 × 164cm 1.584
plate 24
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 105.5 × 75.5cm 1.581
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 152.5 × 107cm 1.583
Destroyed by the artist
263
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 95.5 × 61.5cm 1.587
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 80 × 40.5cm 1.578
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44.5 × 30.5cm 1.579
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen Triptych, 45.5 × 20.5cm each 1.580
Untitled 2014 Oil and acrylic on linen 152 × 107cm 1.585 Destroyed by the artist
264
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 60 × 39.5cm 1.591
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 45.5 × 40.5cm 1.593
Untitled 2014 Oil, acrylic and graphite on linen 65 × 50cm 1.586
Untitled 2014 Oil, acrylic and graphite on linen 60 × 39.5cm 1.590
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 38 × 38cm 1.588 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil and acrylic on linen 152.5 × 107.5cm 1.603
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 177cm 1.597 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil and acrylic on linen 80 × 40.5cm 1.594
Untitled 2014 Oil, acrylic and graphite on linen 66 × 45cm 1.589
Untitled 2014 Oil and acrylic on linen 122 × 92.5cm 1.598 Destroyed by the artist
265
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44 × 39cm 1.576
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 84.5 × 40cm 1.601 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 56.5 × 42.5cm 1.606
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 163.5cm 1.595
266
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44 × 44cm 1.608
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 80.5 × 40.5cm 1.604
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 55.5 × 50cm 1.605
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 65 × 50cm 1.592
plate 25
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 56.5 × 75.5cm 1.602
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 41.5 × 28.5cm 1.607
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 51 × 40cm 1.613
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 60 × 44.5cm 1.614
267
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 51 × 41cm 1.612
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 46 × 61cm 1.615
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 51 × 61cm 1.616
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 152 × 107.5cm 1.596 Destroyed by the artist
268
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 104 × 162.5cm 1.619
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 150 × 132cm 1.620
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 51 × 41cm 1.610
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 51 × 41cm 1.611
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 61 × 61cm 1.617
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 61 × 61cm 1.618
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 29 × 41cm 1.599
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 33 × 44cm 1.600
Destroyed by the artist
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 53 × 41cm 1.609
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 142 × 101cm 1.621
269
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.625
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 169cm 1.623
270
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 190 × 65cm 1.624
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 238 × 143.5cm 1.622 plate 27
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.627
271
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.626
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 260 × 190cm 1.632
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.628 plate 30
272
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 260 × 190cm 1.630
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 260 × 190cm 1.631 plate 26
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 239 × 169cm 1.633 plate 28
273
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 197 × 150.5cm 1.634
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 260 × 190cm 1.629 plate 29
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.651
274
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 105.5 × 75.5cm 1.667
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120.5 × 80.5cm 1.668
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 24.5 × 38cm 1.647
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 50 × 38cm 1.648
plate 33
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 152.5 × 107.5cm 1.666
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 204.5 × 145.5cm 1.650
275
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.636
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.644 plate 31
276
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 92 × 65.5cm 1.638
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 204.5 × 145.5cm 1.635
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 65.5 × 50.5cm 1.637
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 40 × 28.5cm 1.642
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 38.5 × 38.5cm 1.641
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120 × 80cm 1.645
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 41 × 28cm 1.680
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 41 × 31cm 1.640
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 38.5 × 28.5cm 1.643
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120 × 174cm 1.665
plate 32
277
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 197.5 × 140cm 1.649
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 100 × 100cm 1.663
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 80 × 34cm 1.664 Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 197.5 × 150cm 1.639 plate 38
278
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 197.5 × 150cm 1.646
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.690
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.691
plate 39
plate 40
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.669
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 56 × 38cm 1.671
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 65.5 × 50.5cm 1.659
Destroyed by the artist
279
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.656
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.657
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 120 × 80cm 1.670 plate 34
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.655
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 45 × 20cm 1.653
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 41 × 28cm 1.652
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.679 Destroyed by the artist
280
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 60 × 49cm 1.677
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 44 × 38cm 1.662
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 38.5 × 28.5cm 1.660
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44 × 30cm 1.654
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44 × 44cm 1.676
plate 36
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 60 × 44cm 1.681
Untitled 2014 Oil and graphite on linen 65 × 65cm 1.661
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.658
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen Triptych, 45.5 × 20.5cm each 1.672
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.678 plate 35
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 78.3 × 90cm 1.673
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 58.5 × 66cm 1.674
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 44 × 50cm 1.682
281
282
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.675
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.692
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 163 × 130cm 1.686
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.688
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 56 × 38cm 1.684
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 45 × 45cm 1.683 plate 41
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.687 plate 42
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 122 × 99cm 1.685
Untitled 2014 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.689 plate 37
283
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.697
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.696
plate 51
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.694
284
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.695
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 122 × 95.5cm 1.693
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.701 plate 52
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 100 × 100cm 1.706
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 125 × 125cm 1.705 plate 53
285
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.699
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.702 plate 54
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.698
286
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.700
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.703
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.704
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 65 × 65cm 1.707
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 92 × 65cm 1.708
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 87 × 62cm 1.709
287
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.712
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 61 × 61cm 1.713 plate 46
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.714 plate 45
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.710
288
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 270 × 198cm 1.711
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 87 × 62cm 1.716
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.719
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 260 × 198cm 1.715
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 270 × 198cm 1.717
plate 44
289
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.718
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 162.5 × 129.5cm 1.728
290
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.720
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.721
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 250 × 198cm 1.727 plate 43
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.723
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.724
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.725
291
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 112 × 112cm 1.722
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 192 × 130cm 1.726
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 65cm 1.730
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 210 × 150cm 1.733 plate 47
292
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 120 × 80cm 1.734
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 65cm 1.731
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.732
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 260 × 198 1.729 plate 48
293
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 129.5 × 192cm 1.735
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.736
294
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 95 × 61cm 1.751
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 92 × 122cm 1.741
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 122 × 98.5cm 1.738
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 163 × 129.5cm 1.739 plate 49
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 239.5 × 170cm 1.740
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 210 × 149cm 1.737
plate 50
295
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 240cm 1.742 plate 58
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.744
296
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.745
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.746
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.747 plate 55
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.743 plate 56
297
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 87 × 71cm 1.749
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 260 × 198cm 1.756
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.750
298
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.748
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 250cm 1.755
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.758
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.754
299
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 250 × 198cm 1.752 plate 59
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 260 × 198cm 1.753
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.759 plate 60
300
Untitled 2015 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.757
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen Diptych, 158 × 158cm each 1.760 plate 61
301
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 260 × 177cm 1.767 plate 63
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.761
302
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.763
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 220 × 160cm 1.786
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 110cm 1.785 plate 66
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.780
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 210 × 160cm 1.783
303
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen Diptych, 198 × 140; 198 × 150cm 1.782 plate 65
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 220 × 100cm 1.790 plate 67
304
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.772
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 160cm 1.766
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.777
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107.5cm 1.791
plate 68
305
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 143 × 158cm 1.784
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 220 × 160cm 1.789
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 150cm 1.764 plate 57
306
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 125 × 125cm 1.787
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 210 × 160cm 1.792
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 160cm 1.793
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.788
307
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 110cm 1.774
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 65cm 1.762
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 215 × 162cm 1.765
308
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 84.5 × 40cm 1.773
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.778
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 158 × 143cm 1.770
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 210 × 150cm 1.771
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 92 × 123cm 1.781
309
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 121cm 1.768
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 210 × 150cm 1.776 plate 64
310
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 210.5 × 150cm 1.775
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 192 × 130cm 1.769
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 170 × 250cm 1.779 plate 62
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.797 plate 69
311
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 198cm 1.803
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 198cm 1.796 plate 70
312
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 140cm 1.801
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 65.5cm 1.798
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 140cm 1.794
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 150.5cm 1.802
313
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 41 × 55cm 1.814
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 100 × 35cm 1.795 plate 71
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198.5 × 150cm 1.804 plate 72
314
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.799
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.800
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.811
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 92cm 1.815 Destroyed by the artist
315
316
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 130cm 1.831
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.848
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 71cm 1.809
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.824
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 192 × 130cm 1.843
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 198cm 1.823
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 211 × 150cm 1.807
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 56 × 38cm 1.816
plate 73
317
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.810
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 76 × 57cm 1.822
318
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 82 × 55cm 1.817
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 82 × 55cm 1.818
plate 78
plate 79
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 57 × 39cm 1.820
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 250 × 180cm 1.830
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.825
plate 74
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.805
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 40 × 32cm 1.827
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 67 × 42cm 1.828
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 87 × 62cm 1.821 plate 75
319
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 173 × 120cm 1.808
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 121 × 44cm 1.826
plate 76
plate 80
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 80 × 39cm 1.806
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.844 plate 83
320
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 120 × 80cm 1.812
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 101 × 51cm 1.813
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 87 × 63cm 1.819
plate 77
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.832
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.833
321
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 140cm 1.846
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 80 × 39cm 1.838
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 174 × 120cm 1.836
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 198 × 164cm 1.845
plate 82
322
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.835
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.839
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 76 × 56cm 1.829
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 240 × 170cm 1.841
323
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen Triptych, 198 × 65cm; 198 × 130cm; 198 × 65cm 1.847 plate 84
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 105 × 75cm 1.840
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 99cm 1.842
324
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 152 × 107cm 1.837 plate 81
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 122 × 85cm 1.834
Untitled 2016 Oil on linen 56 × 42cm 1.849 plate 85
325
326
Notes
Titles and numbering All paintings are Untitled. The gallery assigns each work a reference number, preceded by 1 to indicate the medium of painting on canvas (or 2 to indicate drawing on paper). Numbers are assigned as consignments of paintings are received from the artist’s studio, usually destined for particular exhibitions; they are thus roughly chronological, but do not indicate the precise order in which the paintings were produced. The catalogue raisonné maintains the rough chronology of paintings, but works are also loosely grouped according to types of mark-making. Canvas The majority of works are painted on raw Belgian linen, which may be acrylic primed on the reverse. The linen includes smoother and coarser weaves. Measurements Dimensions of paintings are indicated in centimetres, with height preceding width. Studio photographs All studio photographs are by the artist. These images are documentation of works in progress and the studio environment, in contrast to the photographs that comprise Blom’s first catalogue raisonné, The Drain of Progress (2007), which were artworks.
327
328
List of works
Abbreviations cat. catalogue illus. illustrated ref. reference number Stev. CT Stevenson, Cape Town Stev. JHB Stevenson, Johannesburg GHM Galerie Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf Names of collections are specified where works are on public view.
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Exhibitions & Books
Collection
Untitled 1.332 2013
223
–
Private
Untitled 1.333 2013
223
–
Private
Untitled 1.334 2013
223
–
Private
Untitled 1.335 2013
225
–
–
Untitled 1.336 2012
225
–
–
224
–
Private
224
–
The New Church Museum, Cape Town
Untitled 1.337 2013
1
Untitled 1.338 2013 Untitled 1.339 2013
2
224
–
The New Church Museum, Cape Town
Untitled 1.340 2013
4
225
–
–
Untitled 1.341 2013
225
–
–
Untitled 1.342 2013
225
–
Private
Untitled 1.343 2013
228
–
Private
Untitled 1.344 2013
226
–
Private
Untitled 1.345 2013
223
–
–
329
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Collection
Untitled 1.346 2013
226
–
Private
Untitled 1.347 2013
224
–
Private
Untitled 1.348 2013
227
–
Private
Untitled 1.349 2013
226
–
Private
Untitled 1.350 2013
226
–
Private
Untitled 1.351 2013
226
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.352 2013
226
–
Destroyed by the artist
226
–
Private
224
–
Private
Untitled 1.355 2013
226
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.356 2013
227
–
Private
Untitled 1.357 2013
227
–
Private
Untitled 1.358 2013
227
–
Private
Untitled 1.359 2013
227
–
Private
Untitled 1.360 2013
227
–
Private
Untitled 1.361 2013
229
–
Private
Untitled 1.362 2013
229
–
–
227
–
–
228
–
Private
Untitled 1.365 2013
227
–
–
Untitled 1.366 2013
231
–
–
Untitled 1.367 2013
227
–
–
Untitled 1.368 2013
228
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.369 2013
228
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.370 2013
227
–
Private
230
–
–
230
–
Private
Untitled 1.373 2013
230
–
Private
Untitled 1.374 2013
231
–
Private
Untitled 1.375 2013
226
–
Private
Untitled 1.376 2013
230
–
Private
Untitled 1.377 2013
230
–
–
Untitled 1.378 2013
230
–
–
Untitled 1.353 2013 Untitled 1.354 2013
3
Untitled 1.363 2013 Untitled 1.364 2013
8
Untitled 1.371 2013 Untitled 1.372 2013
Untitled 1.379 2013
330
Exhibitions & Books
5
229
–
Private
Untitled 1.380 2013
6
228
–
Private
Untitled 1.381 2013
229
–
–
Untitled 1.382 2013
229
–
–
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Exhibitions & Books
Collection
Untitled 1.383 2013
229
–
–
Untitled 1.384 2013
228
–
–
Untitled 1.385 2013
229
–
–
Untitled 1.386 2013
228
–
–
Untitled 1.387 2013
228
–
–
Untitled 1.388 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.389 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.390 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.391 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.392 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.393 2013
232
–
–
232
–
–
Untitled 1.395 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.396 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.397 2013
231
–
–
Untitled 1.394 2013
Untitled 1.398 2013
10
9
232
–
–
Untitled 1.399 2013
231
–
–
Untitled 1.400 2013
232
–
–
Untitled 1.401 2013
233
–
Private
Untitled 1.402 2013
231
–
–
Untitled 1.403 2013
12
232
–
–
Untitled 1.404 2013
11
233
–
–
Untitled 1.405 2013
233
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.406 2013
234
–
Private
Untitled 1.407 2013
231
–
Private
Untitled 1.408 2013
235
–
–
Untitled 1.409 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.411 2013
231
–
–
Untitled 1.412 2013
231
–
–
Untitled 1.413 2013
234
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.414 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.415 2013
234
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.416 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.418 2013
233
–
–
Untitled 1.419 2013
235
–
Private
Untitled 1.420 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.421 2013
231
–
–
331
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Collection
Untitled 1.422 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.423 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.424 2013
234
–
–
Untitled 1.425 2013
233
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.426 2013
231
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.427 2013
235
–
–
235
–
Private
Untitled 1.429 2013
235
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.430 2013
236
–
–
Untitled 1.431 2013
240
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.432 2013
236
–
–
Untitled 1.433 2013
236
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.434 2013
238
–
–
Untitled 1.435 2013
236
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.436 2013
237
–
–
Untitled 1.437 2013
237
–
–
Untitled 1.438 2013
233
–
–
Untitled 1.439 2013
238
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.440 2013
237
–
–
Untitled 1.441 2013
240
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.442 2013
241
–
Private
Untitled 1.443 2013
241
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.444 2013
237
–
–
Untitled 1.445 2013
236
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.446 2013
241
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.447 2013
241
–
–
Untitled 1.448 2013
239
–
–
Untitled 1.449 2013
239
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.450 2013
240
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.451 2013
239
–
–
Untitled 1.452 2013
237
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.453 2013
238
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.454 2013
240
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.455 2013
241
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.456 2013
239
–
Private
Untitled 1.457 2013
240
–
–
Untitled 1.458 2013
241
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.428 2013
332
Exhibitions & Books
7
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Exhibitions & Books
Collection
Untitled 1.459 2013
242
–
–
Untitled 1.460 2013
241
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.461 2013
242
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.462 2013
241
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.463 2013
240
–
–
Untitled 1.464 2013
239
–
–
Untitled 1.465 2013
242
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.467 2013
243
–
–
Untitled 1.468 2013
243
–
–
Untitled 1.469 2013
243
–
Private
Untitled 1.470 2013
244
–
Private
242
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
243
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
242
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo) Material Matters, ICA Indian Ocean (group)
Private
Untitled 1.474 2013
243
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
Untitled 1.475 2013
246
–
–
Untitled 1.476 2013
246
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.477 2013
246
–
–
Untitled 1.478 2013
246
–
–
Untitled 1.479 2013
242
–
Private
Untitled 1.480 2013
242
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.481 2013
244
–
Private
Untitled 1.482 2013
244
–
–
Untitled 1.483 2013
244
–
Private
Untitled 1.484 2013
244
–
–
Untitled 1.485 2013
247
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
Untitled 1.486 2013
245
–
–
Untitled 1.487 2013
245
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.488 2013
247
–
Private
Untitled 1.489 2013
248
–
–
Untitled 1.490 2013
248
–
–
Untitled 1.491 2013
245
–
Private
Untitled 1.492 2013
245
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
247
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
246
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.471 2013
16
Untitled 1.472 2013 Untitled 1.473 2013
Untitled 1.493 2013 Untitled 1.494 2013
17
13
333
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Exhibitions & Books
Collection
247
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
Untitled 1.496 2013
250
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo) Private Prix Jean-Francois Prat, Paris, 2014 (group)
Untitled 1.497 2013
249
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.498 2013
246
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.499 2013
249
–
–
Untitled 1.500 2013
249
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.501 2013
250
–
–
Untitled 1.502 2013
246
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
Untitled 1.503 2013
248
–
–
Untitled 1.504 2013
253
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.505 2013
252
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.506 2013
252
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.507 2013
249
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
–
Untitled 1.508 2013
250
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.509 2013
250
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
Untitled 1.510 2013
251
–
–
Untitled 1.511 2013
252
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
Untitled 1.512 2013
251
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
–
254
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
Private
251
–
Private
253
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo)
The New Church Museum, Cape Town
Untitled 1.516 2013
253
–
–
Untitled 1.517 2013
254
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.518 2013
253
–
Destroyed by the artist
252
–
–
253
New Paintings, Stev. JHB, 2013 (solo) Four Generations (book), illus. p324
Private
Untitled 1.521 2013
254
–
–
Untitled 1.522 2013
255
–
Private
Untitled 1.523 2013
255
–
Private
Untitled 1.524 2013
254
–
Private
Untitled 1.525 2013
255
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.526 2013
255
–
–
Untitled 1.527 2013
255
–
–
Untitled 1.528 2013
256
–
–
Untitled 1.529 2013
256
–
–
Untitled 1.495 2013
Untitled 1.513 2013
14
15
Untitled 1.514 2013 Untitled 1.515 2013
18
Untitled 1.519 2013 Untitled 1.520 2013
334
19
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Exhibitions & Books
Collection
Untitled 1.530 2013
256
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.531 2013
256
–
–
Untitled 1.532 2013
256
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.533 2013
256
–
–
Untitled 1.534 2013
255
–
–
Untitled 1.535 2013
257
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.536 2013
257
–
Private
Untitled 1.537 2013
258
–
Private
Untitled 1.538 2013
255
–
–
Untitled 1.539 2013
255
–
–
Untitled 1.540 2013
257
–
–
Untitled 1.541 2013
257
–
–
Untitled 1.542 2013
257
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.543 2013
257
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.544 2013
255
–
–
Untitled 1.545 2013
257
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.546 2013
258
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.547 2013
258
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.548 2013
258
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.549 2013
257
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.550 2013
258
–
Private
Untitled 1.551 2013
260
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.552 2013
260
–
Private
Untitled 1.553 2013
260
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.555 2013
259
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.556 2013
259
–
Private
Untitled 1.557 2013
259
–
Private
Untitled 1.558 2013
258
–
–
Untitled 1.559 2013
258
–
–
Untitled 1.560 2013
259
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.561 2013
258
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.562 2013
259
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.563 2013
260
–
Destroyed by the artist
260
–
Private
259
–
Destroyed by the artist
259
–
Destroyed by the artist
261
–
Private
Untitled 1.564 2013
20
Untitled 1.565 2013 Untitled 1.566 2013 Untitled 1.567 2013
22
335
Title
Ref.
Date Plate Page
Exhibitions & Books
Collection
261
Prix Jean-Francois Prat, Paris, 2014 (group), cat. illus. np
Private
Untitled 1.569 2013
261
–
Private
Untitled 1.570 2013
262
–
Private
Untitled 1.571 2013
261
–
Private
Untitled 1.572 2013
262
–
Private
Untitled 1.568 2013
Untitled 1.573 2014
21
263
–
Private
Untitled 1.574 2014
24
262
–
Private
Untitled 1.575 2014
262
–
Private
266
–
Private
–
Private
Untitled 1.576 2014 Untitled 1.577 2014
336
23
Untitled 1.578 2014
264
–
–
Untitled 1.579 2014
264
–
–
Untitled 1.580 2014
264
–
Private
Untitled 1.581 2014
263
–
Destroyed by the artist
Untitled 1.582 2014
262
–
Private
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January, Mixed Greens (group)
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Four Generations (book), illus. p323
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New Paintings, Stev. CT, 2014 (solo) Material Matters, ICA Indian Ocean (group)
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Four Generations (book), illus. p321
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Chroma, Stev. CT (group)
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Vitamin P3 (book), illus. p36
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Zander Blom was born in 1982 in Pretoria, South Africa. He lives and works in Gardens, Cape Town.
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Artist statements
New Paintings Stevenson Johannesburg, August 2013 In painting there are many roads or directions one can take. So far I’ve been spending my time here as a drifter, exploring as many roads as I can, taking in the environment and savouring the moments. I’m perpetually trying to find out what more the world of painting has to offer, and I often fantasise about the as-yet-unrealised images that lie out there in abundance waiting to be discovered. By drifting I’m covering plenty of ground without rushing towards anything in particular. Some roads meander along for a while and then turn off onto huge highways or intersections. Some roads lead to dead ends, or to walking around in circles. Often one has to cut through big empty fields or valleys, getting your boots muddy, to get to a road that may take you somewhere interesting. It’s not uncommon for a promising-looking road to turn out to be a tedious bore, and to find oneself quickly veering off in a different direction. This is not to say that any one road is necessarily better than another. The most compelling results often come from walking along short dead-end roads or trekking through the mud. Besides, the measure of success for me lies not so much in individual works as in the depth and extent of the journey. It is exhilarating to see a map draw itself, or a story write itself, as you wander along looking for new possibilities. Naturally, new exhibitions of my paintings consist of work from the most recent period, simply meaning paintings that were made between this exhibition and the one preceding it. A period of work can consist of paintings from a web of different roads taken. This particular body of work, however, feels like one long, snaking road with its own subtle peaks and valleys. A specific strain of mark-making wanted to develop. It started out as rigid grid-like arrangements of thick smears or dabs of oil paint roughly applied to canvas with a small palette knife. These marks that initially read as crude static binary code are starting to evolve into hives, forming clusters of swarming constellations. Complex organic swirls are coming to life, begging to become solid and then threatening to dissolve and disappear again. Last year’s feverish, almost violent desire for simplicity and a narrowed focus seems to have opened up into a space of subtle dematerialisation. Solid shapes and
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large masses are gently breaking down into smaller particles, forming soft textures and dissolving into the picture plane. Colour is back on my palette knife but the agitated, almost offbeat colours and smeared particles of works from a couple of months ago have already given way to a softer, gentler, lighter mood, closer in spirit to that of French Impressionism. I’m rediscovering artists such as Seurat, Pissarro, Van Gogh and especially Monet with his cathedrals and water lilies. In the spirit of this calm atmosphere, I’ve allowed music to occupy a much larger space in my universe than usual. Currently half of my working days are spent experimenting with free-form composition either on the piano or electric guitar and drums in my little music room, while the other half is spent painting while listening to piano sonatas. Musical terms like tone and rhythm suddenly seem important in my painting and a direct relationship between the two forms has become visibly and audibly apparent. Some paintings appear to look like musical notation or scores, while my musical experiments are becoming more abstract, minimal and refined. The two forms seem to be growing towards each other. At this moment it feels like this particular road could snake along forever and yield many interesting results. There seem to be no blind alleys, no forks or intersections in sight. However, like all roads this one will no doubt end, quite abruptly, at some point, giving way to something entirely different. So for now I’m simply strolling along enjoying the flow and the scenery, because this moment has to be seized and painted out before it is over. It won’t be long before the road spits out into all sorts of new directions.
New Paintings Stevenson Cape Town, August 2014 It’s solo exhibition time again and with it comes the inescapable task of writing an artist statement. This, to be honest, fills me with dread. The usual questions are floating about the room, nagging at me while I paint during the day. Yes, I know the act of writing something will clarify things that are just moods or vague feelings right now. Yes, it will give me a slightly zoomed-out view of where I am in this moment in time. But I don’t want to hear it. I’m in a strange schizophrenic moment and I want to crawl around inside it. The press release looms over my head for weeks - it says: ‘Hey man, just write me. I’ll give you some perspective, put things in context …’ I say to it: ‘Fuck off with your “context” and your tired art jargon. Leave me alone. Let me be gross and obscure and delicate and pedantic and a brute and irrelevant … and … what-the-fuck-is-that? What am I looking at? What is that lump? It’s creeping me out … Great! That’s perfect! Let’s add some green … No yellow ... No pink … No no no no … Brown!’ ‘This makes no sense,’ whispers the artist statement. ‘Of course it does, you stupid animal,’ I hiss back. This game goes on for weeks, till the yapping reaches such a point of irritation that
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I eventually force myself to sit down and write the damn thing out. To pin it down. To shut it up. For the first hour or so I fill the page with angry knee-jerk reactions. These I mostly delete, because like a child that goes into a bath kicking and screaming, the screams and sobs generally tend to subside once the realisation of already being in the bath sets in. This phenomenon coincides with noticing that it’s actually quite nice and warm in this bath. I’m looking around the room … There are instruments and books in here and the computer … Let’s start with the computer. As I’m typing this, a two-hour free-form music session from earlier tonight is rendering out just behind this window on the screen. On the screen I see purple, green, orange, light blue, grey and red-brown bars of sound in layers. In the last week I have noticed a similarity between some of the marks on canvas and the arrangements of the recorded sounds. The white bright screen and the various open windows may also correspond with some of the crude white rectangles I’ve been painting. But it’s too soon to know, something about digital space perhaps … no … it’s much more primitive, more cave man … more Battiss … and Rothko maybe? I don’t think I’ll pin it down any further than that. Currently it’s there, stapled to the table, flopping about. If I keep stabbing at it, it will surely die and quickly turn trite, contrived, lifeless, uninteresting. I’m going to let it go free. Through the corridor in the room behind me is a large canvas with crude colour rectangles and odd shapes. I watched a video podcast about a retrospective of Matisse’s colour cut-outs a couple of days ago. I started this arrangement shortly after seeing that video. I also found a reproduction of another Matisse cut-out that I stuck to the wall over a year ago. Seems like I’ve been meaning to break things up/apart into big crude shapes, but the moment to do so has only now arrived. This may lead to a large series of works or perhaps only a few. Before I know it I’ll find myself working on something else. To complicate the writing of this press release, I currently find myself going back and forth between radically different types of work from one moment to the next. Yesterday I thought I was done with one thing, now I’m back at it. I tell myself this: if you wanted to be bored and slavishly repeating yourself you could have chosen virtually any other profession. So the mantra becomes: ‘I’ll do it only if I don’t know what I’m doing.’ Because that will most likely be more interesting and exciting than anything I could have planned or conceived of. My painting practice is driven by finding new tools and developing new techniques. Currently my techniques rely heavily on palette knifes and the paint tube itself. When working with oil straight from the tube you are limited to the available premixed colours. So I have had to develop homemade devices that mimic the factory tubes in the form of altered medical injections. Now I can mix any colour and make it look like it came straight from the factory out of a tube and onto the canvas! I find the drawings of many painters to be more interesting than their paintings. In order to resolve a composition, spontaneity is often a necessary sacrifice. So it is understandable that a composition can lose much of its life and energy by the time it ends up on canvas. I’ve drawn on canvas before to try and avoid this but it never really worked to my satisfaction. I’ve used other techniques to try and make work that is loose, alive and still crisp, but now the modified syringes have led to the ability to control the nozzle
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size. This has finally opened up a way to make perfect solid line drawings with oil on canvas of various widths. This allows me to do things that are impossible with a brush or an oil stick. There is also a new palette knife that I’m enjoying using. It has tiny teeth and makes these shell/scallop-type marks. It gives me contour lines and a gradient in a single scoop. I’m following it down its own rabbit hole. I’ve also started producing my own palette knives to sculpt with in hopefully interesting new ways, and I’ve started bleaching some canvases with household bleach. Let’s put some more warm water in this bath … For the sake of consistency it may be time to take a quick look at my last press release, from 2013. Yes, long windy roads, piano sonatas and all that. I feel much younger than I did last year, less mature even – I may actually have devolved. It’s kind of what I hoped for, but it also just sort of happened. I spend a lot of time each day in my tiny music room teaching myself how not to play the guitar. The music I’m recording at the moment is as raw and schizophrenic as the paintings. The two seem to be egging each other on, like two unruly teenagers. The act of playing the music loosens my inhibition, and takes quite a lot of physical energy which allows me to feel a certain satisfaction and release. This helps me to not overwork paintings that come out loose and wild purely because I feel that I haven’t exerted enough physical labour in order to justify their merit. In short, a trick to keep a rational, domineering brain at bay. In turn with painting I’m plastering paint onto the raw linen in various shapes with a big palette knife in a very crude haphazard way, similar in approach to my freeform punk experiments. When I think about what’s going on in the main painting room it feels like a child colouring in massive drawings with a trowel and coloured cement … browns and green and red and purple and lemon yellow and cobalt blue and black … I see bits of Matisse, Rothko, Klee, Picasso, etc, all floating or crawling around on the canvases. Sometimes they play nicely, other times they fight each other for space or dominance. Anyway. Much of this may not even be important or relevant to the show. There is still plenty of work to be done and by the time everything is finished, selected and sent off, these thoughts may already be completely outdated.
New Work Galerie Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf, April 2015 In painting I’ve gravitated towards an explorative and tactile studio practice that is a constant tug of war between instinctual impulse and the critical eye. Working this way makes one acutely aware of moments in time, and the influence of passing thoughts over one’s output. Moods, interests and technical possibilities are always in flux. Time doesn’t stop and neither does the mind. One notices how many splitsecond decisions are made in practice that the conscious mind is unaware of: the
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pressure, movement and velocity with which paint is smeared or hurled over a surface, the quick and seemingly random placement of forms, the uninterrupted blending and arrangements of colours within a composition, etc – all elements that radically affect the final outcome of a painting – can happen without the conscious mind being remotely aware of what’s going on. Often I even find myself stepping back from a canvas and putting down the palette knife, before actually realising that the last necessary mark, which completes the composition, has been made. You become aware of this when you stop painting for two days and return to the studio assuming that you can pick up where you left off. It is never possible. After even just 48 hours the body has to relearn certain capacities that you didn’t even know it was tapping into. You have to reboot the machine, which takes a while, and once you’re back in the swing of things, the results are always different from before, always new. Your body and mind have already moved on. You’re already in a new place, you just don’t know it yet. Consciously formed ideas play a peculiar part in such a practice. They are necessary in a big way but can also be very dangerous in their rigid, unbendable, counterintuitive ignorance. They are like policemen: society needs them, but they are completely predictable, always one step behind, and no fun at all. I’ve always suspected that ideas will only get in the way of truly interesting work. I haven’t declared ideas the enemy, like Agnes Martin did, but I generally do not give them any kind of ruling power either. They tend to blow in and out with the wind while I keep busy and try not to pay them too much attention. In the last few months, while making this new collection of paintings, there have been three ideas (amongst all the other fleeting thoughts arising from artist biographies and visual references to earth, outer space and art through the ages) that kept creeping around in the corners, getting fatter, morphing into more complicated forms, and refusing to leave the studio: Man, Nature and Man’s Creations A desire emerged to create images that allude to some kind of narrative, like one would find in cave paintings, through simple signs and symbols, although without assigning any kind of conclusive meaning. So in essence mining primitive visual language for complex compositions without answers. This idea was sparked by watching Cave of Forgotten Dreams by Werner Herzog and imagining what it might be like to stumble onto cave paintings of an alien race on a distant planet. A driving force behind this idea was a growing desire to create humanoid forms, influenced by representational form or figuration, but staying firmly on the side of abstraction. In other words not committing to narrative, only vaguely hinting at its possibility. This seemed to perfectly coincide with an article I read years ago about Francis Bacon, and the influence that Picasso’s figures (of connected limbs with virtually no bodies) from the late 1920s had on his work. Apparently these figures inspired Bacon to become a painter, and the influence is very clear in Bacon’s famous Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucif ixion (1944), a work that Bacon considered his first truly successful painting.
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‘Evasive arabesques on ivory walls’ I was reading a Pollock biography and I came across this in a sentence. This arrangement of words conjured up the most fantastical images in my mind. The context in which it appeared was an article by the critic Thomas Craven warning American artists of the 1930s against frivolous European modernist influence. He was attempting to convince artists to let go of ‘art for art’s sake’ and will them into engaging with the sociopolitical and economic plights of America in their work. The full sentence goes: ‘Shall we face the situation like honest workmen, or shall we hide in the dark tower and paint evasive arabesques on ivory walls?’ To me these words seem to represent a kind of impossibility or duality of meaning that I can’t quite put my finger on. The five words removed from their context really resonate as a type of proclamation or unapologetic slogan, at once a resignation and a celebration. A Singular Image: Man contemplating the void I was researching early Rothko works and found myself transfixed by an image of a black painting in a museum. It wasn’t so much the painting (by Ad Reinhardt) that captivated me, but rather the image of the perfect black rectangle hanging on the pristine white museum wall, photographed not head on but from the side, with the neutral grey polished floors dimly reflecting the floating black shape. It seemed a perfect illustration of man struggling to come to terms with himself and the universe. A couple of weeks later someone sent me an interview with Philip Guston and an excerpt from it awkwardly latched onto this idea: ‘What I really want to do, it seems, is to paint a single form in the middle of the canvas. I mean, one of the most powerful impulses is simply to make … That’s all a painter is, an image maker, is he not? And one would be a fool, some kind of fool, to want to paint a picture. The most powerful instinct is to paint a single form in its continuity …’ Guston talks here about painting a portrait, but his words complete this third idea for me, suggesting the possibility of a singular image that is somehow also a portrait of the human condition. In the end all of these thoughts have to come back down to the physical reality of abstract paintings and the unpredictable results of an intuitive studio practice. Moreover, each form, each canvas, has to reach some kind of perfection, tap into some kind of logic that exists outside of any consciously formed idea or conceptual argument. The paint cannot settle until the form justifies itself.
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New Paintings Stevenson Cape Town, March 2016 Mondrian vs Picasso I have believed in the idea of perpetual change as a vehicle for innovation and discovery in painting for a long time. Even though the overarching themes in my work have remained much the same over the last decade, my style and techniques have gone through many transformations. I tend to be onto something new every couple of months, and if I find that I’m not, I’ll berate myself until I find something else to do. This approach dictates that you’re constantly on the look-out for new tools and techniques that will allow you to arrange form in ways that you haven’t seen before. It becomes a voyage of discovery, where you always feel like you are moving forward and learning. But as with anything else, today’s freedom can quickly become tomorrow’s prison. So perhaps it’s time to consider my obsession with change. Let’s say, if change has been the constant in my practice, perhaps it’s time to suspend perpetual change in order to grow and learn in different ways. This inquiry began with an observation: you start something new, then work in that vernacular for a couple of months, and just when you feel you’ve cracked it, you move onto something entirely different. This is the pattern. Taking note of this pattern leads to a question: do you change because you’ve followed something to its logical conclusion and there is nothing more to discover, or do you keep jumping from one direction to another because it’s easier than pushing on to a deeper, more sophisticated place? The old saying ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ comes to mind. If you’ve sailed around a pond and start finding yourself in places that look familiar, you may realise that the answer isn’t necessarily to keep sailing forward, but perhaps to stop the boat, throw anchor and start diving down. In my defence, I decided early on that to be a productive, prolific and non-suicidal artist, I needed to always follow my own whims and impulses. In terms of influence I have generally favoured warm-blooded chameleons like Picasso over stiff squares (excuse the pun) like Mondrian. Previously, to me, this simply meant: Picasso was interesting and having the best time, while Mondrian was boring and having a drab time. But now that I’m in my 30s, doubt has entered the room, as it tends to do, and I’ve started to re-evaluate old Piet. Sure, it is well-documented that Mondrian was an awkward human, wildly unsuccessful with woman, a man who loved jazz but had two left feet, while Pablo was the life of the party as well as a masterfully misogynistic bastard. But for all the differences in their temperaments, for better or worse they were both equally committed to revolutionising form. It seems to me that Picasso was a voyager who got his fix by crisscrossing and circling the globe many times over, often going back over his own routes, each time just a bit more belligerently drunk on his own fumes than the previous time around. By contrast Mondrian very soberly explored the surface for a while but eventually stopped his raft somewhere and then ventured off below. Let it be said that Piet did his fair share of surface exploration – Impressionism, Expressionism, Symbolism, Cubism – but at some point he stopped bouncing around. The spot where he finally threw anchor was in the vicinity of Cubism, where only really
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Braque and Gris were still lingering. It was after all a place that Picasso and Braque originally discovered together, although Picasso had long since moved on. On this spot Mondrian proclaimed that Picasso and Braque were unable to see the implications of what they had stumbled upon. Mondrian treated Cubism as a scientific theory that had to be taken to its logical conclusion. And since nobody else was going to follow through, he would. Mondrian dove in, and bit by bit he deepened the game, stripping Cubism of all non-essential elements until he arrived at arrangements of flat squares in black, white and primary colours. In the end he even let go of the black lines. Mondrian explored that small trove that he dubbed De Stijl for the rest of his life, and he left us with a set of very refined artefacts, with not so much as a shadow or even a diagonal line in sight. Not to take anything away from Pablo, the man who practically owned the 20th century, but when you start looking at his life’s work all together it doesn’t seem so disparate or radically diverse at all. In fact his output starts to look like one long story, one long logically progressing stream of Picassos. He never made the leap into pure abstraction. He built his abstraction on the armatures of figuration, of signs and symbols – a plant, a nude, a cat, a table. He might have shattered that armature but he could never just throw the damn thing out the window altogether. More than that, he loved that broken, beat-up old piece of crap armature, because it enabled him to stylise, simplify and caricature the world. He wanted to describe an object with paint in the quickest, simplest and most economical ways. Because he was still in the business of narratives and descriptions of the visible world, and this is perhaps where his real vitality lay, in illustrating a fractured century. What Pablo wasn’t able to do was done by people like Mondrian and countless others who abandoned the visible world. By today’s standards, Mondrian’s efforts seem ancient and rigid, but his singular devotion to such a very limited area of form seems profound to me in ways that others can hardly touch. He’s like the Robert Johnson of abstraction proper. Sure, there is no doubt that Piet was way too serious and humourless for anyone from our Internet Age of Irony to relate to, but for me the beauty of Mondrian lies in his Zen-like devotion to form, his stripped-down simple existence and his determination to stick to it and not get side-tracked. The beauty is in the dive, in the small expanse of ocean that he explored so thoroughly. One can’t help but admire the man; he really was an alien-lizard in a human suit. It can’t be easy to stick to one thing … I mean just think about it: one aesthetic, one philosophy, one formula, one clearly defined goal, practically a single image for the rest of your life. And just in case we’re getting too sentimental here, let’s not forget that he was also pretty crazy and deluded. His end game was to solve the problem of painting for good. He was labouring towards a utopian future where there would be no more painting. I love Mondrian but that is pretty creepy, even for him. How relevant is all this to the exhibition? Well, when I started painting the gap between what I wanted to make and what I was able to make was massive, but in the last couple of years it seems like the gap has shrunk significantly, while at the same time the work has developed into something that I could never have imagined. I have tended to favour an experimental practice instead of simply rendering clearly
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formed ideas onto canvas. I initially tried to do the latter, but the results were never as interesting as when I let the paint do what it wanted. So in a way I’ve followed the medium instead of trying to make it follow me. Now I find myself in a place where I am more able to control the medium, nudge the work in certain directions and plan for specific outcomes. So I think I may stop sailing around on the surface and try diving in one spot for a while. It probably won’t last very long, but I’ve found a pretty sweet spot in the ocean, and it seems like a good enough place to start. Cabin Fever: The trials, tribulations and ongoing struggles of a perfect life in the studio My current home studio is more or less the shape of a shoebox. One-third of the shoebox is the safe side, a painting-free zone with a couch, coffee table and two working tables. The other two-thirds is full of canvas and paint. There is an invisible line between these two areas. When I sit perched at the computer like I am doing now, I am on the edge of the clean-ish area looking out over the mayhem. There has to be a division between these two spaces because you need some form of order to function like a human being that can answer emails, write artist statements and live in the real world, because painting is not the real world. It is with great reluctance that I get back into painting after long stints of living on the safe side: scribbling in Mondrian books, making ink drawings, reading, binge-watching lame TV series, making stupid music videos for my ridiculous music, making notes of things I need to do like get Wi-Fi internet instead of this 3G crap, maybe get Apple TV and Netflix, arrange icons on my desktop, create folders for potential projects and organise the data on my hard drives, update my operating system, look at weird shit on the internet, etc etc etc. It’s just a small way to reclaim the mundane, to get back at painting for all the time that it steals from my life. It’s a way of saying, ‘I don’t need you all that much. You think you’re so important that I can’t live without you, but check it out, I’m cool. I’m doing meaningful challenging stuff over here, I’m educating myself, I’m getting satisfaction and fulfilment when I’m not hanging out with you. Maybe my next project won’t even be paintings. Hey, maybe I’ll make some sculptures or installation, umm or something new media vibes … yuck …’ and painting goes, ‘Sure dude, whatever you say.’ Of course I’m just being an ass right now, but damn it, sometimes you just have to turn your back on painting even just for a moment. In order to regain some self-respect, to claim your territory, even if it is to do trivial meaningless shit – actually, especially to do trivial meaningless shit. Because when you get into painting and the studio is full of palettes covered with paint that need to go somewhere, and there are canvases spread around everywhere, once you’ve started a room full of compositions, they’re constantly whining and shouting their demands for resolution until your eardrums ring. The happiest time in the studio is the day after a collection, when a new batch of paintings has left, because by the time they are out the door I’m so sick of their complaints and demands that I can use just a little bit of peace and quiet. Goodbye and good fucking riddance! The days leading up to a collection go like this: the paintings say things like, ‘Hey! Hey! Dude, I’m not finished over here, how about just a little
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orange shape right in the corner’ or ‘Wait, maybe some yellow, but not cadmium, I’m feeling lemon’ and then ‘No wait, now I need something else in the other corner, maybe a pale purple rock shape’. ‘Sure,’ I say, ‘I’ll just make it happen, I’ll just swing my magic wand and make that perfect purple rock shape happen for you,’ and then another goes, ‘Hold on man, I’m not at all resolved yet, come work on me over here before you do anything else, I need something big, strong, textured, hardcore, bright, sharp, jagged, gentle, delicate but contained … ’ And another whimpers, ‘I’m so lonely in the corner and I only have three shapes, I could really use just a little something to make me pop. Everyone else got a little bit of red somewhere, please can I have some too, just a little dash you know, please?’ I try to reason with it and say, ‘You are special precisely because you are completely resolved, unique and perfect without the red, you really don’t need it.’ But of course it keeps nagging until I eventually give in. It’s like being trapped in a room with a bunch of stupid insecure wild animals in cages that are all clamouring for your attention. I fall off ladders, I trip over chairs, I put my arm out from mixing paints, I hurt my knees from crouching in corners to make little shapes. I fuck myself up for these brats. And you know what, they have no idea how I break my back to give them what they want. ‘You want more blue? You want more depth? Sure buddy.’ Not a clue, they always want more, and if I just give in and keep giving them what they want all the time then they get fat and ugly and lazy and spoilt and overworked and turn out to be complete fuck-ups, so I can’t give in to their every desire. I have to draw the line somewhere and just say, ‘Enough! Shut up! You’re done! Get out!’ And for a short while I have some peace.
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Exhibitions
Solo exhibitions 2016 New Paintings, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa 2015 New Works, Galerie Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf, Germany 2014 New Paintings, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa 2013 New Paintings, Stevenson, Johannesburg, South Africa 2012 New Paintings, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa Place and Space, Trois Gallery, Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 2011 New Paintings, Stevenson, Johannesburg, South Africa Place and Space, Pinnacle Gallery, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia, USA 2010 The Black Hole Universe, Galerie van der Mieden, Antwerp, Belgium Paintings. Drawings. Photos., Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa (cat.) The Black Hole Universe: Mapping the Void, 5×6×9 Gallery, Berlin, Germany 2009 The Travels of Bad, Rooke Gallery, Johannesburg; Whatiftheworld, Cape Town, South Africa The Drain of Progress, Whatiftheworld, Cape Town, South Africa 2007 The Drain of Progress, Rooke Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa The Drain of Progress (drawings and album launch), The Premises, Johannesburg; Whatiftheworld, Cape Town, South Africa 2006 Sounds and Pictures, The Premises, Johannesburg, South Africa Group exhibitions 2016 Exchange, Galerie Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf, Germany Home Truths: Domestic Interiors in South African Collections, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa P rix Jean-François Prat, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France (cat.) 2015 Schema, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa (e-cat.) Material Matters: New Art from Africa, Institute of Contemporary Art Indian Ocean, Port Louis, Mauritius Handle with Care! Ninth Ostrale International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Ostrale Centre, Dresden, Germany January, Mixed Greens, New York, USA
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2014 Chroma, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa (e-cat.) Thinking, Feeling, Head, Heart, The New Church Museum, Cape Town, South Africa (cat.) P rix Jean-François Prat, Bredin Prat, Paris, France 2013 A Sculptural Premise, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa (e-cat.) The Evolution of Art 1830-2140, Kuckei + Kuckei, Berlin, Germany 2012 Africa and Abstraction – Johannesburg: Blom, Hlobo, Nitegeka, Rhode, Stevenson booth, Art Basel Miami Beach, USA (cat.) Africa and Abstraction: Mancoba, Odita, Blom, Stevenson booth, Art Basel, Switzerland (cat.) 2011 The Global Contemporary: Art Worlds after 1989, ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany (cat.) Geography of Somewhere, Stevenson, Johannesburg, South Africa (cat.) Alptraum, Ausstellungsraum des Deutscher Kuenstlerbund eV, Berlin, Germany; Company, Los Angeles, USA; and other venues 2010 Ampersand, Daimler Contemporary, Berlin, Germany Residency exhibition, Red Bull House of Art, São Paulo, Brazil Black, blank projects, Cape Town, South Africa Why Not? Contemporary South African Art, Kuckei + Kuckei, Berlin, Germany 2008 Disguise: The art of attracting and deflecting attention, Michael Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa (cat.) .ZA: Young art from South Africa, Palazzo Delle Papesse, Siena, Italy 2007 Paper Placemats (ATL), ACP Public Art Program, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Same Places, Aardklop National Arts Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa 2006 Ten, The Premises, Johannesburg, South Africa All Creatures Great and Small, Whatiftheworld, Cape Town, South Africa 2005 DWG, Outlet, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa Group Therapy, Sandton Civic Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa 2004 ...etc (part 2), ArtCoZa Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa ...etc (part 1), Artspace, Johannesburg, South Africa Awards 2014 Prix Jean-François Prat, Paris, France
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Bibliography
Books by Zander Blom 2016 Modern Painting: Piet Mondrian. Cape Town: Stevenson 2009 The Travels of Bad. Johannesburg: Rooke Gallery 2007 The Drain of Progress. Johannesburg: Rooke Gallery Books and exhibition catalogues 2016 Elderton, Louisa. ‘Zander Blom. Vitamin P3. London: Phaidon Martin, Courtney J. (ed). Four Generations: The Joyner/Giuffrida Collection of Abstract Art. New York: Gregory R. Miller & Co. 2014 Lavrador, Judicaël. ‘Zander Blom’. Prix Jean-François Prat. Paris: Editions Jannink 2013 Martin, Courtney J. Zander Blom: Paintings Volume I. Cape Town: Stevenson Murinik, Tracy. ‘Zander Blom’. Art Cities of the Future: 21st Century Avant-Gardes. London: Phaidon Belting, Hans, Andrea Buddensieg and Peter Weibel. The Gobal Contemporary and the Rise of New Art Worlds. Karlsruhe: Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe 2012 ‘Zander Blom interviewed by Odili Donald Odita’. Africa and Abstraction – Johannesburg: Blom, Nitegeka, Odita, Rhode. Cape Town: Stevenson ‘Zander Blom interviewed by The Hundred In The Hands’. Africa and Abstraction: Mancoba, Odita, Blom. Cape Town: Stevenson 2011 Brodie, David. ‘Zander Blom’. Geography of Somewhere. Cape Town: Stevenson 2010 Zander Blom: Paintings. Drawings. Photos. Cape Town: Michael Stevenson 2009 Cornell, Lauren, Massimiliano Gioni and Laura Hoptman. Younger than Jesus Artist Directory. London: Phaidon 2008 Bosland, Joost. ‘Zander Blom’. Disguise: The Art of Attracting and Deflecting Attention. Cape Town: Michael Stevenson Selected articles and reviews 2016 Kawitzky, Roxy. ‘Dead Men, New Paintings’. Artthrob.co.za/2016/03/21/ dead-men-new-paintings-zander-bloms-new-paintings/ O’Toole, Sean. ‘Critics’ Picks: Zander Blom, Stevenson Cape Town’. Artforum.com/picks/id=59084 Shorkend, Danny. ‘A strong body of work’. Cape Times, 29 March
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2015 Rossouw, Chad. ‘Monologue: 1.648 Untitled’. Artthrob.co.za/2015/02/ 22/monologue-1-648-untitled/ 2014 Blackman, Matthew. ‘Kant’s Blom and Wallpaper’. Artthrob.co.za/2014/ 09/30/kants-blom-and-wallpaper/ Friedman, Jason. ‘Zander Blom’. http://www.newancestors.nyc/set-1/ zader-blom-paintings Matthews, Alexander. ‘Rorschach taste.’ Sunday Times, 7 September 2013 Lindeque, Nicole. ‘New Paintings: Zander Blom at Stevenson, Johannesburg’. Artthrob.co.za, August 2012 The Hundred in the Hands. ‘Interview with artist Zander Blom’. thehundredinthehands.com/with-artist-zander-blom 2010 O’Toole, Sean. ‘The Scavenger Artist’. Financial Mail, 19 November 2009 Corrigall, Mary. ‘Fresh show eschews innovation’. The Sunday Independent, 15 March 2008 Smith, Michael. ‘Artbio: Zander Blom’. Artthrob.co.za, June 2007 Corrigall, Mary. ‘Zander Blom’. Art South Africa Vol 6, No 2 (Summer): 90 Smith, Michael. ‘Interview with Zander Blom on the occasion of his exhibition, The Drain of Progress’. Artthrob.co.za, October O’Toole, Sean. ‘Slacker art, with slick execution’. Business Day Art, December O’Toole, Sean. ‘Nothing left but the recordings’. Art South Africa Vol 5, Issue 3 Autumn): 67
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Nicola Trezzi (born Magenta, Italy, 1982) is a writer, educator and exhibitionmaker based in Tel Aviv. His writing has appeared in magazines such as Flash Art, artpress, artnet News, Monopol and White Fungus; and in exhibition catalogues including Joshua Neustein: Drawing the Margins (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem), Post Monument (14th Sculpture Biennial, Carrara), Michal Helfman: Change (CCA, Tel Aviv), Jump Cut (Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York), Michael Kienzer: Logic and Self-Will (Kunsthaus Graz), Ylva Ogland: She, an Introduction (Bonniers Konsthall, Stockholm) and Ido Bar-El: Bagatelle, Paintings 1986-2015 (Tel Aviv Museum of Art). Trezzi has lectured at Yale University School of Art in New Haven and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and co-curated exhibitions at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and CCA in Warsaw. He is currently head of the MFA programme at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Jerusalem and is a contributing editor to Flash Art International.
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Artist’s acknowledgments Thanks to all at Stevenson gallery, Gabrielle Guy, Mario Todeschini, Nicola Trezzi, Marie, Stephani and Hans of Galerie Hans Mayer, the Blom family, the Cheminais family, and Dominique Blom.
Published by Stevenson © 2016 for texts: the authors © 2016 for works by Zander Blom: the artist Isbn 978-0-620-73463-9 Editors Marc Barben, Sophie Perryer Design Gabrielle Guy Studio photography Zander Blom Artwork photography Mario Todeschini, Anthea Pokroy, John Wilson White Printing Hansa Print, Cape Town
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