Johnathan Daily Swedish-American , b. 1974
98 x 124.5 cm, framed
Further images
After completing a series of Complexity paintings in 2002, the artist began a body of black-and-white line drawings of mechanical objects, pushing the distortion technique to its limits. By allowing the lines to overlap, the process of composition opened up. The chosen object — a microscope — was gradually twisted as its contours were redrawn in distorted versions, offering the viewer a sense of all-around perspective. Various materials within the object were identified through distinct colours, and the drawings evolved into paintings. Complex systems of colour blending were introduced, with each theme representing overlapping elements.
One of the key works in this series, Slowly you return to life, took nearly two years to complete. For the artist, what is seen or not seen in these paintings is less important than the interplay of complex interactions unfolding simultaneously on multiple levels, which gives the works their visual vitality. The final painting in this series was completed in 2009.