GC Myers, Triptych, 2002
The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.
— L. P. Hartley, The Go-Between (1953)
Ain’t that the truth?
One of the interesting things about going back through my earlier work from 20 to 27 or 28 years back, is in seeing things I once did that I seldom if ever do now with the work. Take for instance the triptych at the top, painted in 2002.
I did quite a few triptychs at that time but for some unknown reason, this form has faded from my repertoire. It surprises me because I liked painting them and still enjoy seeing these pieces. I like the feel of the triptych on the wall. The segmenting seems to highlight the composition in an interesting way. Plus, painting them presents a different challenge, trying to balance what amounts to three different paintings, all balanced so that each could stand alone, into a cohesive unit that speaks with one voice.
I have one such triptych (below) that hangs on my studio wall, near my painting table. Painted around the same time, it’s much smaller than the one at the top. It remains a favorite over these 20+ years which says something for it. It also seems pertinent with its pervasive reminder of the colors and fields of Ukraine.
Taking these little trips backward through the work reminds me of how things have changed in many ways and how some things remain the same. Perhaps it’s time to take a crack at another triptych. It’s been a while but maybe it should have never left.
Here’s song that somewhat pertains to today’s thought. It’s another longtime favorite– a lot longer than the twenty or so years since these triptychs– from Eric Burdon and the Animals, When I Was Young.
Redtree Times 