Art by Benjamin Buckley
Being creative is using imagination. Being creative is about trial and error. Being creative is noticing an issue and taking the initiative and courage to address it, voice it, change it or fight against it. Innovation is the carrying out of combined ideas. It is the process and the result, the production line that assembles ideas and ensures they are successfully intertwined to make something new, relevant and working. The results of innovation are not final nor is it the end. The result remains open for innovation to happen again.
Being open, is a valuable trait when generating ideas. Openness allows the unusual and the unconventional to intrude on the thought process, for influences to travel to and come from all areas of the globe. Openness allows you to contemplate on a range of choices whilst it gets you to break away from pattern and to embrace all forms of collaboration.
With art, the initial thought process starts with ideas that stem from emotion, opinion, situation and expression. These headings will produce an idea which will be unique to each artist, but sometimes projecting that idea in a visual way, and needing it to appeal to others may not represent or express individuality. This is where innovation is needed. The artist combines influences and ideas to make themselves and their visual voice stand as a unique one.
In my personal opinion I believe the process of innovation has to be a genuine one for it to be successful. There are artists who lack sincerity in their work and it shows. In a previous article What Should Art Do? I briefly touched upon on the thought that of late there had been a lot of art that was being produced for the reason of attention and not because it delivered a message, emotion or opinion. It is a though only half of the innovation production line is being used, the first half: The Idea. Art which has been designed with intent to exist for the sake of being new isn’t genuine art. Innovation should be the process of creativity and a result that works, not an idea that stands alone.
Our resident artist Benjamin Buckley’s has worked against conventional painting. He has chosen to paint without the physical brush. The technique he uses is one which involves drawing the images on a graphic tablet and is then printed off onto canvas using the Giclée fine art printing method. The images are then stretched and are followed by coats of Ketone resin and acrylic. Benjamin’s uses this technique so that he can make the images more intricate when looked at, and turns the digital process into a more delicate one. It means the images can be blown up to an incredible scale. He uses this labour intensive method as it uncovers the intricacy and detail in his “daydreams”. Ben’s intentions were to create a utopia formed from his imagination and dreams that doesn’t fit within reality but appeals and can be understood and rebuilt by the viewers imagination. Through his work you can see the evolution of several ideas. It has purpose, it makes the viewer drift away into their imagination.
What is amazing about innovation is that it will constantly remain an ongoing process. We will see inventions go through transformation and evolution to become a product of someone’s creativity.
By Gabrielle Cooper
ABOUT THECUBE Gallery
THECUBE Coworking space acts as a platform for emerging artists. We showcase an artist on a monthly basis both to help young talent and to give the workspace a sense of change. We choose the artists based on their innovation and creativity rather than shock or monetary status.
During the day people are welcome to view the art and see it within the context of an office space or during a private view where they can interact with the artist. It is important for art to stimulate our members and be part of the space.
