Page 48 - Studio International - March 1970

UK

commentary

pictural expression. To arrive at this state, it
was necessary to clarify my ideas of any
hindering form, either figurative, geometrical
or other, from my inner visual concepts. An
inbuilt urge to simplify to its utmost purity
gives me possibilities to approach and experi-
ment the 'colour-space' problems from various
angles. The basic picture form-elements are
found in the two dimensions of the flat canvas
surface : horizontal-vertical, and the third
dimension is in the 'colour' with its optical
illusionistic space depths. That is to use
colour as the necessary vehicle to act as a
carrier of space in the visual appearance of a
line, band or stripe. Using a technique of
combined hard-edge and soft-edge contrasting
flat colour bands or stripes, I organize the
actual pictural field for the sake of space
illusions in their various depths.
2. In carrying this concept further, away from
the two-dimensional illusionistic picture sur-
face into the real space of the three-dimen-
sional world, I started to separate physically
the cross-like elements on the picture surface
in an analytical way. So the former colour
band or stripe becomes in fact a colour slab.
Now it can be arranged into the given room to
correspond with its natural three-dimensional
space and so opens up through its intense,
amplified colour properties a new perspective
of space on a different level in relation to the
real environment.
It is important to point out, that in my pain-
tings as well as in my environmental con-
cepts a certain scale plays a role; scale in the
sense of proportion in the natural given size
of the height of the human being. Only with-
in the limitations of this dimensional scale for
STATEMENT BY PETER KALKHOF, AT ANNELY colour can I achieve the wanted strength and
JUDA, LONDON, UNTIL MARCH 22; STATEMENTS feeling. This should then transfer either the
BY JON BIRD AND DAVID SHEPHERD, AT MUSEUM remote cool distant space mystic or the highly
OF MODERN ART, OXFORD, MARCH 10-29; emotional sensuous feeling of aggressiveness in
RODIN AT THE HAYWARD, LONDON, UNTIL a physical sense. As it were to involve the
APRIL 5; DOUGLAS PORTWAY RECENTLY AT viewer's perception activity.
MARJORY PARR, LONDON; JOHN EDWARDS 3. The next step subsequently would be the
AT ROWAN, LONDON, MARCH 13—APRIL 2 use of real light sources. Exploitation of
technically possible build-ups of light-energies,
and the amplified light-colour rays, of laser
Colour as priority in environmental painting: perhaps. This stimulates a new perspective of
a few thoughts about colour, space, concen- colour exploration as well as the new kind of
trated colour intensities as visual power-fields space vision in the three-dimensional field:
and their physical sensuous properties: laser—hologram. Not to speak of the highly
appreciation of my work should come solely intensive power potentiality of laser. For me
as the emotional and intellectual response of the visual perception of the laser-aspect is
the viewer and any attempt at verbal explana- interesting. Shooting laser-beams in different
tion can merely hint superficially at a personal strength and colourings across a special
visual idea. constructed dark-room would be certainly
1. About earlier paintings : an exciting experience because of its obvious
the main characteristic of my paintings is a emphasized space-colour relationships. q
very concentrated but conscious limited PETER KALKHOF