“Seismic Aftershock” (2015) Oil on canvas by David X Belton
Alongside their current stage production of Ron Hutchinson’s “Moonlight and Magnolias”, Heidelberg Theatre has very generously given me the opportunity to exhibit some of my recent works on the topic of “Time and Place”.
“Time and Place”: For a number of years prior to entering the visual arts, I studied the science of time, which was a bit like trying to understand our universe from sub-atomic moments through to planetary life-spans. Nevertheless, the experience is forever imprinted on my perceptions of “Time and Place”, and doubtless the manner in which I visually express moments and locations in my art.
Be in no doubt that “Time” is rightfully the primary descriptor here. Events, occurrences, happenings have a “Place” but are most sharply defined by “Time”. They are perhaps moments of the shortest duration, but potentially of extraordinary importance.
I seek to capture moments such as the bushfire, the earthquake or the aftershocks – some of which may, in reality, have little or no visual expression, yet the aftermath of that event is profound. I revel in the challenge of representing such moments.
In contrast to moments, places – be they natural or man-made – have a spatial dimension. They appear, they grow, they evolve and yes, they disappear. You can revisit places, but they have changed, all at the behest of time. I seek also to capture places, some of which, you may be familiar with. But, I’ll never see the scene that you saw a day, a week or a year ago.
Here to, I seek to infuse the image of the ordinary place with an overlay of personality. Just as the paint in these images is tinted and mixed and brushed, so to the visual reality is massaged into something beyond that of a photograph.
David X. Belton, Rosanna, Melbourne VIC Australia.
Time and Place – About the paintings→
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These photographic and artistic works and linked galleries by David Belton are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on work from www.scriptandstage.com , and links therein.
Freeze Frame 