Andrew Polk

The Widening Gyre
Stone and Photoplate: Lithographic Crayon, Tusche, Toner and Deletions
5 Runs
760mm x 560mm
2006

We live in two worlds, the one of nature and the one of industry. My work reflects a preoccupation with how these worlds are at odds with each other. While contemporary industry seems hell-bent upon destroying the earth, nature is not without her own vengeful disposition. My work is intended to reflect the energies of natural disasters and their aftermaths complete with remnants of what might have once been the products of an industrial world.

I have been doing lithography, on and off, for over thirty years and I have amassed both, technical knowledge and skill. However my obsession with lithography is not as much based on what I know as it is on what I don’t know – its mysteries. What compels me is the medium’s continual ability to challenge and surprise me.

With all of the art forms I practice, such as painting, printmaking, digital and video, I love the dance between intellect and process. I believe this interplay is what provides conceptual depth, nuance and surprise. With lithography, the dance is not always graceful. Sometimes it feels like a competition, one where both partners are inclined to lead, but one where the struggle is a thing of beauty.

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