Brandon Logan: What Paint Can Do
By Laura Heyrman
Just five years removed from his university studies, Brandon Logan (Scottish, b. 1996) has drawn considerable attention for his unique approach to painting. After laying out a series of parallel strings, akin to the warp threads laid down when weaving, Logan applies acrylic paint in stripes, patches, or blots across the strings. When dry, the paint and strings provide mutual support in the finished work. In some cases, the artist then cuts away areas of string and paint to create repetitive patterns. Within this basic technique, Logan can achieve great variety by varying the scale of the works, the kind of string, the spaces between threads, the amount, color, and layering of paint, and the cutting patterns. Though the unframed objects have a sculptural quality and an affinity to weaving, the artist says
“I always think of them as paintings because it’s a specific interest in what paint can do that keeps me making them. I’m obsessed with the simple transformation of fluid, liquid colour, to solid that can take place in my hands, it’s like magic to me every time.”
Brandon Logan was raised and continues to live and work in Stromness in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. Inspired by the Orkney Islands, the artist developed an appreciation for history, as the remnants of the islands’ ancient past are apparent today. In his art, he tries to ensure that the works retain a sense of the time that passed in their creation. Logan credits the Pier Arts Center in his hometown with exposing him to Modernist artists like Barbara Hepworth of Britain, Italo Valenti of Italy, and Naum Gabo of Russia. From these artists and others, Logan developed an interest in abstraction and an experimental approach to his materials.
Logan’s works range in size from tiny to large. Of the works I’ve included, the largest, Ribcage, is over six feet tall while the smallest, Potentilla is less than 4 inches wide. Of his small works, he has said they are akin to trying to say something in the fewest words possible. In these little works the artist seems to be experimenting with different paint applications and color combinations while the larger works seem more formal and structured. Since the sizes vary so much and these images provide no context for the scale, taking note of the sizes of the works will allow you to imagine interacting with the works in person.
The artist sees his color choices as the emotional or expressive component of his work. As with size, I’ve chosen examples which demonstrate a variety of Logan’s color choices and paint effects. These range from the smooth surfaces and strong color contrast of Long Showers to the bleeding paint edges and subtle contrast of Kiss 16. In most works, the artist displays the most painted side to the viewer, but a few, like Ness, are displayed so that the strings dominate the color. In other works, one color shows through an upper layer, as in Pink Pools. I chose an angled view for the photo of this work so that you can see how the works hang away from the wall, casting shadows that add to the visual impact of the works, especially those with cut outs like Buddy Blue and Lucky Man. The addition of cutting to his paintings allows Logan to threaten the delicate support structure he has created and he enjoys pushing himself right to the edge of a work’s collapse.
I hope you enjoy exploring Brandon Logan’s work as much as I have. You can find out more about the artist at the two links below.
“Brandon Logan: Dog Rose” exhibition at Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, continues until Saturday, March 9, 2024. link: https://www.inglebygallery.com/viewing-room/105/
The artist discusses his work in a video: “Brandon Logan: Instalments,” Ingleby Gallery, 2021. link: https://vimeo.com/539250670
Please share your comments and questions on Substack. link: https://irequireart.substack.com/p/viewing-room-16
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