Bronwyn Morton

Puzzle

May 3rd – 25th, 2024

Bronwyn’s recent works continue her ongoing inquiry into the art making process through geometric abstract explorations in a series that she refers to as simply, “puzzle like”. Composing these geometric abstract artworks involves entering a restricted world to undertake a challenge of arrangement and disentanglement, and making visceral choices. Just like, the process of puzzling there is awareness of frustration and anticipation as the artistic inquiry advances, followed by the end pleasure of solution. Sometimes the resolution can elude us and then in a instant, it comes to us. During times of uncertainty the making is stabilising and calming. It is a satisfying endeavour.

The works are geometric abstractions imbued with silent wonderings determined by natural, personal, art historical and anthropological sources. Constructed in an exclusively horizontal and vertical format that relies on the limited repertoire of spacious, squares and rectangles to highlight subtle details. An almost monochromatic, earthy reduced palette of neutral greys, browns and gentle muted hues are inspired by the natural world. The diverse materials preferred include pencil, paint, cardboard, fabrics and a variety of new and recycled papers, all coming together that provides an organic, tactile hand-made feel.

Although these artworks are devoid of obvious imagery, occasionally concealed text quivers beneath the layered complexity of the simple geometric structures. This inclusion disrupts the predictable use of shape, tones and textures. The text is often extracted from daily newspapers, alluding to the notion of the everyday and familiar but not necessarily the comfortable.