In this series I have painted drawings of medieval siege weapons customised with art equipment -inspired decorations such as brushes and palette knives.
I wanted to create a series which directly linked the concept of art and the initiative and momentum required to conduct a siege. As any feat of engineering requires complex planning and procedure, so does the act of creating a piece of art.
Here I chose to present the drawings painted in oils on top of abstracts which give the spectator clues as to the processes involved in their creation. Drips reassure the viewer of the runny consistency of the applied paint, and the direction of the lines created offer hints of how the canvas was manipulated to create the resulting patterns.
While abstract art is one of the visual styles that has had the greatest influence on me, the inclusion of figurative imagery in my work has given me access to a more direct voice. And using this voice I feel some responsibility to create works which spur thoughts, at least in my own mind even if in no-one else’s.
- Paul Ulan-Taylor, Bangkok, 2015
