Art & Critique » Todd Ford

Todd Ford: Still Life with Paintbrushes

elijah — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:48:19 +0000

There is always the dilemma of choosing paintings for a review. For this one I want to focus on the series on brushes because they represent an antithesis to the broken glass pieces, thus closing a cycle. Here the theme of destruction encounters a worthy opponent — the brushes embody creation, and they physically tower erect and quietly valorous, and undaunted. The artist depicts the tools of his craft in the process of cleaning and maintenance, implying replenishment and constancy that can stand up to the notion of ruin and obliteration. So, to be frank to the end, the dilemma in this case was fleeting: if there is an opportunity to show how abstract concepts summon and resist each other within the larger context of the artist’s entire output, I grab it.

There is a transparency of intent in comparison to the broken bottles, as we see the tools and conclude that the painter is the owner. That way the artist contemplates the openness of creation versus the anonymity, or, shall one assume, the cowardice of destruction. Furthermore, by being self-referential he takes personal responsibility and then acts upon it, each painting being a step towards reconstruction. The brushes assert the redeeming power of art; glass pieces have been collected, and remelted into stout, thick jars. Of course, there is the possibility to envision a reverse course of action. The containers are half full or half empty, and the artist challenges the beholder to choose; I choose the full half, and so, it seems, does the artist.

In some ways the refractions serve as an inner control mechanism, the role which the round lines of the bottle necks and bottoms filled in the broken glasses series. Optimists and pessimists see things from different perspectives — and it shows. These compositions do not refer to an idealistic world without worries, where art can save the day, any day, but rather to an ideology that combines the ideal with the materialistic, fully aware of ensuing complexities: the astounding detail (the piece above) of the areas where the air touches the liquid proves just how deep that ideology is. The artist is willing to explore “conflict zones”, and the precision of delivery, undoubtedly laborious, makes the point better than any words can convey.

Once again the artist relishes intricate light effects and color modulation. I find some of the effects veering towards mystical, particularly where the subject is brought very close to the eye, but the white backgrounds swing the compositions around, an ironic afterthought haunting the viewer as a consequence. Broad halos replicate inner glows, linking the back with the foreground, much like in animal toys, where the structure of the eyes contains a miniature nimbus. Ultimately, these qualities and the interactions between them unify the compositions and instill confidence to venture into remote interpretations — but their aesthetic alone is just as far-reaching, if you won’t.

Todd Ford: Animal Toys

elijah — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:10 +0000

These chiaroscuro sculpted toys stand out as miniature totems. Placed upon a pedestal, they soon transcend the connotation of child’s play, crossing the boundaries of amusement to the much more serious realm of (animal) worship. That is a provocation: is the transition possible without the violation of a spiritual sentiment? Perhaps it is — native Americans, who were known to sanctify various fauna, were often considered naive, credulous and psychologically uncomplicated, all of the qualities that make children so charming. The artist’s choice to depict strictly domesticated animals comfortably returns us to a more customary setting, in a way tying the loose thread of hypothetical historical time travel.

Although in terms of color the cool and neutral backgrounds complement the deep blue, orange or pink, spatially they push the objects towards the viewer, as if rejecting them. The indifference of the walls creates a sense of ascetic solitariness, which the animals, lively and expressive, seem to want to defy, or ignore. Perhaps they do not notice it — but we do. The backgrounds appear almost monastic compared to the toys, whose colorful richness echoes loudly in an easy to imagine sanctuary. To complicate things further, it is the walls that carry the halo effect and endow the subjects with another religious attribute. In some ways, palette and space reflect the ideas of the sacred and the secular and how they intersect in our daily lives.

Enough of that serious talk though… There is a totally different aspect to discuss — how the toys resemble digitally animated characters, particularly those created in Pixar studios. The artist dispenses with detail to focus on a few main features on the head and the rest of the body; to compensate, he introduces intricate light effects, which enliven the artificial creatures. Light and shadow break the smoothness of the colored surfaces and complement the personality of each of the characters. Thus, the disorderly waves on the sheep’s fleece harmonize with its rambunctious look, the round flash of light on the pig’s head imitates the snout, while the long, dividing shadow line on the horse’s body replicates the ones on its head and muzzle.

All that said, I find it difficult to settle for either one of the interpretations — but to combine them would be even more difficult. It’s as if those plastic eyes cannot bear a long and intent gaze; the cuteness begins to evaporate, or even change into something sinister — and there is no way back, not without reconsideration. It’s interesting that both the religious viewing and the animation analogy involve imaginative, impalpable ideas. Perhaps this could be the unifying concept. Still, there is a certain tension that remains unresolved, and the provocation still hangs in the air. This, I think, proves that Todd achieves the maximum out of his humble subjects.

Todd Ford: Broken Glass

elijah — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:15:43 +0000

Todd Ford (visit his website and blog) is an American artist painting photorealistic still life with conventional subjects — but arranging them in exotic and highly saturated compositions. And at times that means disfiguring or even destroying the depicted item; such is the case with his series of broken bottles paintings. The sharp naked edges of the glass literally cut into and slice the space around them, as if taking a blind revenge on their implicit host. The necks, upside-down or turning away from the viewer, as if desecrated, appear as trophies of destruction itself. Yet, the round softness of the intact glass necks and bottoms counterpoises the irregularity of the broken angular lines, implying a literal synthesis: all the pieces, sharp and round, are made of glass.

The random and chaotic linear movement reminds me of Linda Hardy’s plastic wrappers: both posit a threat of disruptive force and both originate from man-made, translucent materials. I think that Todd’s take on the complex theme of conciliating chaos with order similarly places his work on the cutting edge (pun intended) of contemporary still life painting. This series may stand for the problematics of human condition in modern era, the notion of the bottle serving as the epicenter of such issues as mass production and pollution. The tranquil palette and the photorealist style as the delivery method denote the artist as an objective reporter, ensuring an eerie impact of cool detachment — urging the viewer to take a stand.

Indeed, photorealism emerges as the most suitable style for symbolic subjects where the symbolized needs less stylization and more representation. Just imagine any of these paintings in an impressionistic reincarnation — absurd, and a painterly misnomer. I think that the popularity of photo and hyper-realism discloses the wish to contemplate reality at its most pronounced while retaining an honest aesthetic and artistic framework. Additionally, this trend offers an adequate response to television and photography; it acknowledges their influence, yet assimilates rather than imitates. On the one hand, it proves that it can do “just as good,” and on the other keeps on renovating painting by continuous exchange of ideas with other art forms.

To return to more technical aspects of Todd’s art, I would like to mention the scrupulous and incredibly (credibly, that is) accurate treatment and distribution of color. The brown flirts with black, red, gray and white, and its own range is exceptionally wide, the additional colors either deepening or diluting the original hue. The ensuing variety, backed by the irregular configuration, provides an unlimited source of entertainment. The green bottle piece displays similar qualities, with cooler tones. Putting all symbolism aside, these paintings are first and foremost technical masterpieces — and should be known as such above all.

Art & Critique » Todd Ford

Todd Ford: Still Life with Paintbrushes

Read More Reviews:

Todd Ford: Animal Toys

Read More Reviews:

Todd Ford: Broken Glass

Read More Reviews: