Alayne Spafford & Sylvain Coulombe: encompass
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Sopa Fine Arts 2934 South Pandosy Street, Kelowna, British Columbia V1Y 1V9
Alayne Spafford & Sylvain Coulombe, "encompass," 2019
ALAYNE SPAFFORD - statement
A preoccupation with dichotomy is central to the work of Alayne Spafford. Order is undermined by disorder, bright jewel-box hues contrast with pale, understated colour, and text, though often a focal point, is oblique and meaning hangs as it should, satisfyingly beyond reach. The compartmentalized collections of motifs, text and number sequences read like graffiti, a language of unapologetic brush strokes, scribbles and color. Each element, while on its own arbitrary, ultimately becomes essential to the completed piece.
On a formal level, the artist uses an energetic approach of effused color, layered imagery and a painterly technique. The color palette is intense, dense and somewhat moody, or alternately light colored and muted. A rhythmic approach to texture, finely etched lines and lettering act to balance the strong color use. An organic aesthetic that pays homage to modernists such as Fritz Hundertwasser, Paul Klee, Caio Fonseca, and the fearless language of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Although the pieces are challenging they are not hermetic and invite participation. A few footholds are provided to keep the work from being obscure and lend order to the mélange of images. While each piece offers glimpses into the artist’s world, the completed works remain open to interpretation.
SYLVAIN COULOMBE - statement
I try to find those who hide behind abstract landscapes. Characters, mysterious and unreal, which are define by deep lines, such as the one that the time cracks and digs to leave behind traces of his passage, its perseverance, its evolution.
My role is to establish with them the basis for a common language and to externalize their thoughts, feelings, opinions. Symbolize their unspoken that as each of us accumulate, consciously or not, throughout our existence. We are the gears of the machine where we live, all inters connected, all together. This exhibition is for those who wish to unwind by taking a little time to stop and appreciate our complex simplicity.