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The art of Alasdair Macintyre

The Estate of Art History
by Kris Carlon

When deciding on a topic for this short catalogue essay I wondered what it was exactly that drew these artists together. At first there may not seem to be any direct relationship between the works, but upon closer inspection, there is an undeniable (albeit axial) cohesion to the work produced. This esthetic connection is summed up in the title of the show - Zeitgeist - and is reflected in the concept and execution of the works on display. The central modus operandi revolves around a notion of homage, whether it be to the legends of art history, traditional painting practices or social experience and history. This ideology embraces the contemporary artists' position as inadvertent scion of the visual and methodological estate of art history. In the production of art it is nearly impossible to create something utterly new and authentic that doesn't make reference to something/someone else, and these artists understand this and recognise that even the masters had their influences, be they artistic or social. In turn, these works choose to respectfully tip their hat to the artists and influences we are all indebted to in one way or another.
They all share an element of contemplation; visually, whether it be empirically or formally structured, or theoretically as personal insight or sedulous investigation. VR Morrison engages in a dynamic and contemporary revival of traditional figurative painting to effect the justification of the genre. Jo Turners work incorporates elements of chance and evolution to produce magnificently tactile and visually entrancing arrangements. Alasdair Macintyre challenges the distinction between artworks and mass produced toy lines by immortalising the legends of art in figurines and theme parks. Kris Carlons work provides a visual complement to conceptual and theoretical groundwork, utilising the medium of assemblage as a platform for interpretation. Tim Ritson focuses on the discourse between mid-century ideals and contemporary actuality in confronting unions of arborescent imagery. The attitudes of these artists vary between lucid and insightful, alacritous and intense, and serve to inform their individual esthetic, and are clearly evident within their creations on show here.

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