GH: Is it my imagination, or have we been waiting on a
substantial solo show from you for a while?
GB: Fictions is the first solo show that
I've had in about five years. The last was at The Rooms and was called Darkhorse. I have been producing work
but the pieces were coming out more sporadic and individualistic.
GH: The title Fictions
seems to be a deliberately broad choice to describe narratives we might make up
to go with your paintings – or did you have something else in mind?
GB: I
chose the term fictions for a couple of reasons. I've been applying literary notions to constructing
paintings' narratives. I like the idea of the literary notion of conceit, in
the sense of a stylistic affectation or a convoluted metaphor. Fiction has an
ability to get at an ephemeral tangibility more easily than nonfiction. Also, I
could describe the general illusion of representational painting. So yes, the
title Fictions
is doing a lot of work.
 |
| Let's Go, oil on birch panel, 23" x 31.5", 2015 |
GH: If I were forced to characterize your painting in a few
words I would have said "representational painting with a preoccupation
with light". That description
is based on past work and still might apply to work in this show like Diffused
or Sparkle House. What do you
think?
GB: I
think describing my work as representational painting with a preoccupation with
light is fairly accurate. Obviously, that's more evident in some paintings than
others. But at a core I choose and design paintings that use light heavily as a
tool to communicate the notion, feeling and atmosphere I'm going for. And as a
person who deeply enjoys the act of seeing I can't help but want to share the
things I create for their exceptional and intriguing qualities.
 |
| Let's Get Out of Here 1, Oil on birch panel, 23" x 31.5", 2015 |
GH: Meanwhile, there are images like Android Summer that I would
not have been able to identify as yours.
It feels like you were really exploring your options…(comment please)
GB: Android
summer is a painting of Amara Wilkins and the Halloween costume that she made
at the age of 9 or 10. I asked her to hold onto it until summer so I could make
a painting of it. I just wanted to celebrate childhood innocence, play and her
honest creativity. I think there are other elements in there that tie back in
to the show, mostly the element of childhood.
GH: The works on Plexi surprised me too. Especially, Fools Fire the surface is
almost impasto. I don't remember
you getting into your paint so much in the past. I'd also like to know about the choice of Plexi Glass. Good Morning although on canvas also
has a significantly worked surface.
GB: The
work on Plexi came from the simple opportunity created by somebody giving me a
bunch of beautifully made panels. The wonderful thing about Plexi is that the
paint sits up on the surface not to mention that is a very quick, fast service
to work on. It also led me to work on the birch panels. I was trained for a
time by the wonderful painter Harold Klunder and used to paint quite thickly.
That is bound to come out from time to time. Or maybe another way to put it is
it's another great tool in the box I get to use (hopefully well).
 |
| Fool's Fire, oil on plexi glass mounted on birch cradle, 20" x 16", 2015. |
GH: To me, the Let's Get Out of Here series in the show has an
almost retro or nostalgic feel.
What were they based on?
GB: The
Let's get Out of Here and That Way are inspired by film, which is another heavy
influence in my work. The idea of the play between tight successive images has
been a theme. They're based on almost throwaway images in film but when altered
and put into the context of oil painting takes on a new and I think powerful
quality.
GH: The images of the little boy tie into this memory-like
feeling. But then there's Sun
(which is my favorite in the show).
To me this painting demonstrates your interest in light but in a whole
new way. The picture plane is
saturated in light. The viewer
expects the boy's figure to be a silhouette but it isn't flat at all. There is a wonderful build up of color
that creates a subtle warmth and dimension.
GB: Sun
is one of my favorite paintings too. I think it has (hopefully) a sublime
quality. It's also one of my favorites because it says it all– all by itself.
 |
| Sun, Oil on birch panel, 23” x 31.5”, 2015 |
GH: Let's finish off by talking about the animal paintings. When I saw the rabbits, I confess, I remembered you in a rabbit costume once upon a time. What do you so like about rabbits? I particularly liked Burrow because the curved figure of the rabbit fills the painting to the point of bursting; it's like a tight coil. Not what I would expect from a painting of a taxidermy rabbit.
GB: The
paintings of the animals all come from the Irish Natural History Museum– a
Victorian wonderland of taxidermy and misguided adventures. I couldn't help but
paint them. I would have to admit
that there is a dark sense of humor in those and a kind of fun weirdness. As
well because they are taxidermy you really get to play with the composition of
the painting of a fox or a rabbit, which when you think about it is rare sort
of thing. I do have a thing for rabbits/ hares. I admire them for some reason, maybe it's because they're
kind of a humble creature but resilient and aware at the same time. There's
always something distant about them.
 |
Burrow
Oil on birch panel
16.25” x 20.75”
2015
|
For a link to Greg Bennett's gallery see:
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