EN: Ed Fairburn, the artist that gives maps a human face
Remember when you were young and you'd look up at the sky and see faces in the clouds? Well Ed Fairburn does this same imaginative meditation when he opens up a road or subway map. Using classic hatch-mark chiaroscuro technique, Fairburn manipulates chaotic topographical patchworks of roads, railroads, rivers and mountain ranges into crystal clear ink and graphite portraits of striking detail.
Like playing connect-the-dots in starlit skies, Fairburn looks for the familiar buried within what might otherwise be discarded as nonsense. Where many of us have thought, "Wow, Italy looks like a boot," Fairburn takes exercises in imagination to a whole new level.
"The work I produce is largely figurative, and through the exploration of the human form I examine the patterns and structures which exist across the body," Fairburn explains of his work. "Emphasis is placed on the ‘fragmented' texture of the skin, a process which has encouraged my work to evolve from its occupation of plain paper to the potential occupation of other, pre-fragmented or pre-patterned surfaces."
Staring down a blank canvas is a well-known challenge for artists. Fairburn's approach not only circumvents this obstacle, but also produces gainful conceptual results in the process. The act of altering maps calls into sharp focus the interconnectivity between people and place. What better canvas to lay the magnetic gaze of a human face?
Fairburn's cartographic images have been exhibited at the Cowbridge Music Festival and used for charity work in the Zambia Project.
RO: Ed Fairburn, artistul care le da hartilor o fata umana
Iti amintesti cand erai tanar si te uitai la cer cautand sa vezi diferite fete in forma norilor? Ei bine, Ed Fairburn face exact acelasi lucru cand deschide o harta de calatorii sau a liniilor de metrou. Folosind clasica tehnica clar-obscur, Fairburn manipuleaza haotica increngatura topografica a straizilor, sinelor de tren, rauri si lanturi muntoase pentru a crea portrete in cerneala de o claritate si cu detalii uimitoare.
Precum un joc, conectand punctele din cerul instelat, Fairburn cauta fete familiare ascunse in ceea ce altfel ar putea fi considerat un non-sens. Unii din noi au gandit "Wow, Italia arata asemenea unei cizme" insa Fairburn duce acest exercitiu de imaginatie la un cu totul alt nivel.
"Lucrarile realizate de mine sunt figurative si, prin explorarea formei umane, eu incerc sa examinez tipare si structuri care exista pe corp", explica Fairburn creatiile sale. "Accentul este pus pe textura 'fragmentara' a pielii, un proces care m-a incurajat ca lucrarile mele sa evolueze de la o ocupatie ce se desfasura pe hartie simpla la potentilul de a lucra pe o alta suprafata, pre-fragmentata si pre-tiparita".
Privitul unei panze albe este o provocare bine cunoscuta pentru artisti. Abordarea lui Fairburn nu numai ca evita acest obstacol dar produce si rezultate pozitive prin acest proces. Actul de a modifica harti solicita prin focalizare clara interconectivitatea dintre oameni si locuri. Ce panza ar putea fi mai buna pentru a fixa privirea magnetica a unui chip uman?
Imaginile cartografice ale lui Fairburn au fost expuse la Festivalul de Muzica Cowbridge si au fost folosite pentru munca de caritate in cadrul Proiectului Zambia.
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| Ink on a vintage street map of Cambridge Desen in cerneala pe o harta veche a orasului Cambridge |
