The idea of shooting paintings on our City of London walks might seem an odd concept but, to continue our tour through the collection at Tate Modern, we discuss a painting on display in the Energy and Process wing that was “created” by the French born artist Nikki de Saint Phalle.
It dates from 1961 and is entitled Shooting Paintings.
When you first look at Shooting Paintings you see a stream of colours that run down a rough white plaster surface to create streaks of single and mingled colours that blend and pool together towards the bottom of the painting.
In fact what you are looking at is an art work that takes the concept of chance in a painting but uses that chance to actually create the painting.
If you look at the white plaster on Shooting Paintings you can see small round holes in the plaster. Sticking out of them you will notice torn or burst remnants of plastic bags. It is in fact these punctured plastic bags that have created the painting.
Artists have always recognised that chance can intervene to alter a painting. A dribble of paint might, for example, run down the canvass from the brush as the artist is painting. That single dribble of paint actually changes the painting, even if only very slightly.
The artists then has a choice, does he or she leave the dribble of paint, or does he or she wipe it away or paint over it. Either way this chance dribble has altered the painting.
What Nikki de Saint Phalle has done in Shooting Painting is to take that element chance and make it the central force that actually creates the painting.
We will explain how in our blog tomorrow. We are currently getting ready for our Friday night Haunted London walk so will return to ourShooting Pictures post first thing tomorro morning. Sleep tight!
Tags: Haunted London walk, London walks, Nikki de Saint Phalle, Shooting Paintings, Tate Modern
