Someone on social media posted about a work by the artist Adnate that had been defaced ‘beyond repair’. When I saw the image of the mural I was instantly fascinated. I thought the defaced work was Adnate’s and I went looking initially for the defacement only to find that the image I liked was the defaced mural. I then found the original mural and then I got it. 

Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t do anything better than Adnate if I tried but I was just instantly into the defacement. The fascination with this stuff is the way ambiguous shapes seem to draw me in and get my imagination going. It isn’t any disrespect to Adnate but I love it when I can’t make something out. When it becomes illusive.

I suppose my own fascination with shadows and the hidden keeps me entertained and watching. When I see the sharp representation of realism I appreciate the skill but I need some softness. Fintan Magee has really taken obscure representation to an interesting late Chuck Close level. Elbows has a softer artist’s palette rather than the harsh paint in the nasal hairs type of detail of some mural art.

Daniel O’toole is in that obscure space, there is another colour field type painter whose name I can’t remember and has done the NGV oh yeah Ash Keating. But what made the defacement so good was the limited colour. I don’t do big murals but if I did I would stick to chance. Chance is an easy option in some ways but the end result is unknown. I suppose I like the idea more than the finished work.