“Step into the kaleidoscopic realm of Richard Wright, where the boundaries of reality are stretched to their limits and the fabric of sanity is pushed to the brink. This is a realm where the surreal and the bizarre converge, where the laws of physics are mere suggestions, and where the rational and the irrational coexist in a swirling vortex of chaos. In this mind-boggling realm, the rational mind struggles to keep pace with the frenetic pace of Wright’s imagination, as he hurtles readers through a maelstrom of hallucinatory landscapes, eerie atmospheres, and logic-defying scenarios. Buckle up, because in this review, we’re about to enter a realm where the rules are constantly rewritten, and the only constant is the sense of disorienting wonder that permeates every page.”
Deciphering the Indecipherable
Unraveling the Mystery of Wright’s Art
An alphabet of writhing tadpoles and globules, blots and worms crosses the paper, an underwater language of indecipherable signs. Is that a comma? Is this an octopus? Looking up, I notice that some of this stuff has broken free of the surface of the framed drawing and floated up to the ceiling, where it is trapped between the wall and the skylight, like a drifting tangle of seaweed. Some invisible current is pulling at the tendrils of colour, which tails off into the whiteness of the wall. It is like a conjurer’s misdirection, leading us from one thing to another, then back again.
The Artist’s Playful Misdirection
Leading the Viewer on a Wild Goose Chase
The power of attention and perception is a theme that runs throughout Wright’s work. His art asks you to pay close attention, and it is this very attention that allows you to unravel the mysteries of his latest exhibition.
A Visual Feast of Form and Formlessness
Wright’s Weird and Wonderful Landscapes
Florid, organic, and visually stunning, Wright’s landscapes are a treat for the eyes. The interplay of color and contrast is a key element in his work, and it is this combination that sets his pieces apart.
The Optical Noise and Interference of Geometric Patterns
Chequerboard grids, chevrons, and angled stripes all feature prominently in Wright’s latest exhibition. The optical noise and interference created by these patterns is hypnotic, and it is this very hypnotism that draws the viewer in.
Sometimes hectic, often enveloping and filled with variety and strangeness, tumbling references and secretive allusions, Wright’s weird landscapes and abstract patterns, with all their Rorschach-like unfoldings and mirrorings, are so compelling I lose myself, time and again, in his imaginary and constructed worlds, his plays with form and formlessness. My eye goes for a swim in them. Looking at Wright’s work is one thing, describing it another. My eye quivers and dances and won’t settle. Even my smartphone has trouble keeping up with the almost cinematic tonal flicker of black and white, and the simultaneous colour contrasts.
Florid, weird … Richard Wright, Untitled, 2022. Photograph: Keith Hunter
The florid and weirdly organic gives way to a sort of visual Lego that comprises chequerboard grids and runs of chevrons and angled tracks of parallel black and white stripes. They abut and shimmy apart. There’s a great deal of optical noise and interference, though Wright does his best to keep things under control. I keep getting sucked in by the places where the hand-painted geometry has gone wonky, and skidding off to other sections where the colour has switched and the tessellations have changed scale.
Sometimes, the grids seem to warp and fold in on themselves. They pulse and flex with a kind of peripheral optical disturbance at the edges of my vision. I’m getting the whirling pits, and not for the first time.
Sometimes I think I’m looking at a landscape or a faded oriental carpet or a piece of painted silk. Suddenly, a bulky 1920s solicitor’s cabinet arrives, which, for no clear reason, has been embellished with a jazzy black and white design reminiscent of dazzle camouflage. It stands in the gallery like some big fat vorticist elephant, out of place and time.
There are delicate drawings using gold leaf on paper which defeat any attempt to focus – I keep snatching at patterns and shapes, perhaps even images, then losing them again in the surface glare. Here’s an erupting gold-leaf splat, the edges of the apparently free-form event a totally premeditated and ornamental, frozen moment, a slow-motion explosion that keeps on happening.
A slow-motion explosion … Richard Wright, Untitled, 2017. Photograph: Keith Hunter/The Modern Institute/Toby Webster, Glasgow
I hadn’t been in Wright’s show long before I gave up trying to work out what systems and rules he was using to make his art, though in one room there’s a big old library table covered in books and drawings that provide a sort of clue. Wright has sometimes drawn and painted and collaged on to the pages of the books themselves: a pattern much like medieval floor tiling flexes on the open pages of Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception,
Beyond the Surface Level
Uncovering Hidden Meanings and Allusions
At Geeksultd, we appreciate the complexity of Richard Wright’s art, which invites viewers to scrutinize every detail. The artist’s use of books and drawings as clues is a distinctive aspect of his work. For instance, Wright has drawn and painted on the pages of books, creating intricate patterns that flex and change as the viewer looks at them. This can be seen in his work on the pages of Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception, where a pattern resembling medieval floor tiling appears to shift and change.
The use of gold leaf on paper is another technique that Wright employs to create complex, detailed images. These drawings are so delicate that they defeat any attempt to focus, with the viewer’s eye snatching at patterns and shapes before losing them again in the surface glare. This creates a sense of peripheral optical disturbance, as if the images are pulsing and flexing at the edges of the viewer’s vision.
The Artist’s Craftsmanship and Attention to Detail
Wright’s craftsmanship and attention to detail are evident in every aspect of his work. The delicate balance of control and chaos is a hallmark of his style, as he balances intricate, hand-painted geometry with a sense of optical noise and interference. This balance is not always easy to maintain, and there are moments where the hand-painted geometry has gone wonky, creating a sense of tension and unpredictability.
The role of gold leaf and other materials in Wright’s work is also significant. The use of gold leaf creates a sense of luxury and opulence, while also adding a level of complexity and detail to the images. The way that the gold leaf freezes a moment in time, creating a slow-motion explosion that keeps on happening, is a testament to Wright’s skill and craftsmanship.
The Distortion and Warping of Visual Perception
Richard Wright’s art is characterized by its ability to distort and warp visual perception. The use of chequerboard grids and chevrons creates a sense of optical noise and interference, as if the images are pulsing and flexing at the edges of the viewer’s vision. This can be seen in his use of angled tracks of parallel black and white stripes, which seem to abut and shimmy apart, creating a sense of tension and unpredictability.
The warping and folding of grids and patterns is another aspect of Wright’s work that challenges the viewer’s perception. The grids seem to warp and fold in on themselves, creating a sense of peripheral optical disturbance. This can be disorienting, but it also creates a sense of immersion and engagement, as the viewer is drawn into the complex, detailed world of the image.
- The use of biomorphic blobs and other organic shapes creates a sense of hypnotic and hallucinatory imagery.
- The wealth of abstract detail in Wright’s work creates a sense of variety and strangeness, as if the images are constantly shifting and changing.
- The tumbling references and secretive allusions in Wright’s work add a level of complexity and depth to the images, inviting the viewer to pay close attention and to interpret and analyze the work.
The Exhibition Experience
Getting Lost in Wright’s Imaginary Worlds
At Geeksultd, we believe that the exhibition experience is a critical aspect of engaging with Richard Wright’s art. The immersive and enveloping quality of the images creates a sense of being drawn into a different world, one that is both familiar and strange. The viewer’s emotional and intellectual response to the work is also significant, as they are invited to interpret and analyze the images, and to reflect on their own experiences and perceptions.
The challenges and rewards of engaging with Wright’s art are also significant. The importance of close attention and patience cannot be overstated, as the viewer must be willing to slow down and look carefully in order to fully appreciate the complexity and detail of the images. The payoff of this close attention is a deeply personal and emotional connection to the work, one that is both intensely rewarding and deeply satisfying.
The Rewards of Close Attention and Patience
The rewards of close attention and patience when engaging with Richard Wright’s art are significant. The viewer is invited to slow down and look carefully, to interpret and analyze the images, and to reflect on their own experiences and perceptions. This creates a sense of intensely personal and emotional connection to the work, one that is both deeply rewarding and deeply satisfying.
The use of real-world examples and applications can also help to illustrate the significance of Wright’s art. For instance, the use of biomorphic blobs and other organic shapes in his work can be seen as a reflection of the natural world, with its intricate patterns and shapes. The wealth of abstract detail in Wright’s work can also be seen as a reflection of the complexity and variety of human experience, with its many different perspectives and interpretations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Richard Wright’s latest creation has been aptly described as a “hectic, hallucinatory” experience that plunges viewers into a mesmerizing realm of mind-bending visuals and thought-provoking themes. Through his innovative use of digital art, Wright has crafted a sensory assault that challenges our perceptions and pushes the boundaries of what we consider “reality.” As the article aptly notes, this immersive experience is less about narrative coherence and more about surrendering to the artist’s vision, allowing ourselves to be consumed by the swirling vortex of colors, shapes, and sounds.
The significance of Wright’s work lies not only in its technical prowess but also in its ability to tap into the collective psyche, reflecting our deep-seated anxieties and fears about the nature of existence. By blurring the lines between the digital and the physical, Wright’s art raises important questions about the impact of technology on our daily lives and the consequences of our increasing reliance on virtual realities. As we move forward in an era of rapid technological advancement, Wright’s work serves as a timely reminder of the importance of critically examining the role of technology in shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves.
Ultimately, Wright’s creation is a clarion call to reexamine our assumptions about the nature of reality and our place within it. As we gaze into the abyss of his digital labyrinth, we are forced to confront the darkest recesses of our own minds, and it is here that we may just discover the most profound truth of all: that the most unsettling horrors are not those that lurk in the shadows, but those that reside within ourselves.
