DALE MANN

Suffolk based artist Dale Mann last showed at the North House Gallery just over two years ago.

His new work continues to present as collages, an art form to which he has been always been attracted. Indeed the very first thing he ever made was a mixed media collage. He finds an interesting freedom in the medium and (sometimes shockingly) has no compunction about cutting up almost anything he comes across that might contribute to a good collage.

Dale tries to illustrate a poetical sense of life rather than describe reality in any literal way. He is often inspired by music and words, sometimes even a single word, and approaches his work in the same playful way that music is made. The final result, however raw, outrageous, funny or sad is intended above all to be beautiful.

The small collages lead to larger works which he tends to call paintings but which still contain collaged elements as well as drawing and writing. Here he describes how he works:

As I work on a painting I tend to write my ideas on and around the painting. This writing is frequently overpainted, and new writing added, as part of the change and renewal of the painting surface. If I choose to write words on to a painting, I realise that the act of scribbling can be either drawing or writing, or both at once, so the meaning of the text is part of the painting's surface. If the painting is visually complete before a narrative emerges, then I leave the painting open and trust in its meaning. Remaining words and images from the painting's 'journey' become part of its conclusion; and in this way the painting may suggest another.