Featured Artist- David Boardman

The undeniably impressive work of Cheshire-based Artist, Musician & published Illustrator, David Boardman, employs the beauty of movement in all its myriad forms as its' main inspiration. The sense of kinetic energy that David produces from what is, essentially, an attempt to convey the intangible in two dimensions, is powerful, dynamic & exceptional.

Boardman takes his lead from 'Futurist' painters like Duchamp and Severini and then journeys towards contemporary graphic design, via Pop Art. He uses text in his complex composition that is not merely superimposed, but embeds itself, actually facilitating the deconstruction of the image. It is this deconstruction that gives his paintings their energy- a kind of static buzz for the retina. With such an energetic visual effect, it is only natural that the subject of his paintings should be the act of movement. So, the figures he portrays are all in the middle of a sporting endeavour, or something equally dynamic.

OC: Your paintings have a fantastic 'kinetic' quality to them. Tell us about that...

DB: Well, the thread that binds all of my work is the study of movement.. When I was enrolled on my foundation course at Newcastle college, we did a project on that theme and I was introduced to Duchamp's "Nude Descending a Staircase", which just fascinated me... it was kind of like a eureka moment!

OC: Sounds exciting...

DB: It just seemed to make perfect sense, and, I thought, an endless field for study. When I delved more deeply into it, I discovered the work of the futurist painters, such as Severini, and was very influenced by their use of colour and shape which created a sense of kinetic energy on the canvas. I wanted to see if I could capture that movement... which is essentially intangible... in a 2 dimensional image. I also wanted to use the most expressive forms of actions, such as sport and dancing, which I felt would make arresting subjects, and also allow the viewer, an emotional reaction.

OC: Well your work is certainly arresting. You have articulated that sense of movement very successfully. In fact, your images sometimes appear to jump off the canvas as you view them. There is an added element of complexity to your composition in the way that you use text within the image? How did that come about?

DB: Well, I suppose it comes from my illustration and graphics background... I've always liked the use of text within an image and the layering affect it creates. It's a device I've used in several ways...in terms of the actual words used... they can sometimes allude to the subject matter, or provide a cryptic juxtoposition. I think it also adds extra interest for the viewer as they see my paintings as something to be "solved", and there is an attraction in discovering new things every time you look at a painting. I think they reward repeated viewing, and the text contributes an added depth.

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