Over the years after looking at paintings I started to appreciate the texture and beauty of well applied paint. Take Robert Ryman for example. His work was minimalist yet painterly. Since the 90s conceptual painting was on the rise and I never really liked the paint work of some of the work I saw. I don’t mind conceptual art in general. There are always highs and lows but I couldn’t appreciate bad paint work just to hold up an idea. Though what has surprised me is the work of some graffiti artists and ex graffiti artists. Take for example Lush. He observes digital processes (reproduces memes on walls and canvas) and uses this as the catalyst for his whole art operation. So this puts him squarely in the conceptual painting realm. His sprayed work is quite good. Though you don’t have the paint work to worry about at all. It can get boring pretty fast but then he is onto the next thing.

Revok uses sculptural fabrication and a little bit of performance to create his paintings which puts him in the category of conceptual painting. His process is essentially performative, he works around the fabricated ‘framework’ and the outcome is the painting that stands alone. Once again the paintwork is that of aerosol so it isn’t painterly. I was reading an interview with Frank Stella and he spoke of the departure of conceptual painting from the painterly works of Modernism. I believe Lush and Revok carry their non painterly work into an interesting place and I tend to have time for these types of pieces even though they aren’t painterly. Personally I have tried one or two painterly conceptual works and they haven’t worked particularly well but they are ok. Going into my next new works with aerosol I may leave painterly ideas aside. I really need to draw these new ideas. Drawing will be the key process. On a parting note I have always felt that aerosol is drawing with paint. It is flat and lends itself to illusion at times. Maybe the closest to television cartoons that painting can get.