Name/Title
5 Colour Process- Looking DownEntry/Object ID
2021.01.04Description
Erin McSavaney’s (b.1973) practice is inspired by the photorealistic painter of the 1960s. His art focuses on overlooked spaces of urban architecture (primarily abandoned warehouses), seeing the residual forms as "a mirror to humanity." For the artist, the static buildings are malleable. They can be shaped physically and functionally by their inhabitant and the activities that occur in and around them.
McSavaney observes his architectural subjects with the precision of a camera lens as he mimics the principles of photography in the medium of paint and ink. The angles, lighting, and mechanics of the architecture are studied, simplified and broken down into lines and intersecting planes in order to recreate it on the canvas. That said, the artist diverges from reality leaving his own mark on the painted version of the buildings. The flat white concrete walls of painted structures are ornamented with boldly coloured geometric patterns and lines. They are given a layer of depth as McSavaney repurposes and reshapes them into art.
Erin McSavaney attended Capilano College and the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. He has exhibited solo and group exhibitions across Canada and the United States. His work is held in numerous collections including the Colart Collection, Senvest Collection, TD Canada Trust, Global Affairs Canada and Scotiabank.Artwork Details
Medium
watercolour on paperDimensions
Height
50.8 cmWidth
22.86 cm