The human figure is the dominant structural motif within Michael Kirkbride NEAC's work. He is interested in differing modalities of being, where interiors, objects and styling are often the fascination.
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Artist Statement
“The human figure is the dominant structural motif within my work. I am interested in differing modalities of being, where interiors, objects and styling are often the fascination. This could be an observed situation, something remembered or conjured. Sometimes the paintings are pure supposition, sometimes celebratory, and sometimes they question and confront.
I like to create choreographic dramas with figures doing ambivalent things, very much like actors on a stage.”
Method of Working
Mick’s paintings are essentially conjured. Their creation relies partly on his visual memory, and partly on events experienced or imagined. Each painting begins with the accrual of many animated thoughts and vignettes in a sketchbook. These eventually amalgamate into a cohesive pictorial design, essentially becoming maps for the final work. His compositions are honed and reworked over several weeks and months, which continues into the painting process, as the work often calls itself into question. Keenly aware of the limits of imagination, he will refer to the photograph, the internet, and magazines for inspiration, underpinning this with observational drawing. The act of drawing is central to his creative process; he will often draw impulsively on whatever comes to hand and later collate these fragments into a notebook. The books become an archive of the paintings evolution. Oil paint and egg tempera are his current preferred media.