Peter Doig

Scottish born Peter Doig creates paintings of an ethereal and at times cloissened nature, that explore space and form from varying perspectives. From landscapes that are viewed through the impediment of tree branches, to stripped down compositions of a man dressed as a bat, Doig controls how the viewer engages his subjects. This is not simply limited to a location within the picture plane, but ventures into different states of mind. In the Bat image, we are in contact with a temporal existence that is less tangible and more spiritual. In others there is a voyeuristic element to them. Doig takes into account the existence of a viewer and offers a less than common engagement with the space in his paintings. For example, a puddle at some unknown person’s feet, can be the access point into a composition.

There is a freedom with Doig’s approach to painting. A drip can establish parameters for a composition, or become a venture point for content. There is also a sense that formal decisions in the paintings are being made in a responsive manner. One thing effects the other and rather than removal of drips or scrapes, there seems to be a focus on integration. This opens up the aesthetic, allowing for unconventional solutions to painting problems. That is one possible explanation for the variety between one painting and another. Though the work may differ in its presentation, at its core there is a similar approach to construction that bonds the paintings together.

Doig’s disregard of subjective hang ups, gives each painting a stand alone originality. They can be seen as independent of one another, and still function well under observation. Doig’s use of source material from photography or periodicals creates a disassociated relationship with the subjects, breaking down the attachment for visual accuracy. These pieces of information themselves offer variety, feeding the integration process much like a drip or smudge. Doig seems to thrive on that openness of form. He uses it well as a catalyst for content that may or may not directly relate to the source material. It is more like a springboard approach towards some venture unknown. Doig has an interesting process that creates relationships, that seem fresh and thoughtfully chosen.