Trying and Redoing

Not everything an artist does "works out". Viewers only see what did work out. All the trying and redoing are part of an art piece that is rarely highlighted in an exhibit.

At the Peter Doig exhibit at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Montreal, the curator chose to show the "backstage" stuff! It is an important part of the art, I think.

The subject was first photographed.

Sketches were done of different aspects of the photo.

In his final rendition, Doig decided not to show what was behind the wall-the biggest cemetery in Port of Spain.

Lapeyrouse, 2003-2005

Cemetery Wall, 2003

Study of Lapeyrouse Wall, 2003

Lapeyrouse Umbrella, 2004

"The (above) works reveal the significant
amount of trial and formal investigation that
goes into the composition of his work
and offers and understanding
of the various issues at play in them"
 (quoted from the museum explanation)

It inspired me to go ahead with my work and not get discouraged with a piece. That the "bad" works are still good because they help with the final piece. They help you decide what you want to do, what you want to show and how you will go about expressing that.

Lapeyrouse Wall, 2004

I am at the 3/4 mark in the development of a piece that will be exhibited in Geneva, Switzerland, in June. I think I still have some more undoing to do before it gets done to my liking.