BORBAY

Here is an update on my ongoing TriBeCa Grand Canvas.

My friend on Twitter inquired “is there any thought behind the words you collage?” The short answer is yes, the long answer is no. When I broke my leg, I decided to get re-acquainted with the art of collage – primarily because I couldn’t get off of my couch and Oxycodone. When I began this new series, I started out with the matchsticks and xray images – but quickly moved on to the NY Post, which I chose for multiple reasons:

1. Newspapers are dying

2. I love the Post

3. The startling narrative of our times

One headline can be powerful, but 400 on the same plane can be poetry of the worst kind. Occasionally, I will collage the headlines with narrative intent, other times, I let the headline sizes and geometrical pattern dictate the placement. While painting, I often color headlines in the same tone to create subtle, sub narratives when read in sequential order. Tell Woody Allen to send over a strict Freudian, I am sure there are numerous subtexts written by my subconscious.

After the jump, the ongoing process, building upon the first and second entries on this painting done at BEVFORCE in TriBeCa.

Working the swatches of color around the canvas, blues in every corner.

Adding the yellow highlights in the windows, looking to create a warm and inviting hotel scene full of every day, ordinary people.

Now getting into the shadows on the unlit sides of the TriBeCa Grand, and beginning to block out the different sections in the foreground.

Really working into the background, nailing down the buildings along the horizon.

And, after flipping the painting upside down and working on the oranges on the ground, a balance is beginning to form. I anticipate this bad boy will require another 2-3 full sessions and it will then be complete.