Alistair Pett | Gallery

Alistair Pett | Statement

NATURE OF PRACTICE: Combination of painting, drawing, collage and sculpture that together question the observation of science becoming a new religion. 

‘Our modern way of life is one of which the myths of animism and religion have apparently retreated, but only I think to resurface through the channel of science.’ (John Gray : 2011) It is this prediction that I myself have observed and what my work attempts to personify.

With the proliferation of scientific television programs, books and articles, science as an alternative to a ‘sky god’ has become increasingly feasible and acceptable increasing its authority in western secular societies. However, humans need for meaning and purpose, something which science has destroyed, will inevitably be met by a new belief in science based on the irrational and mythic. One only has to look at the increasing interests of cryogenics and even the ideas of uploading your conscious virtually, which has been proposed by Ray Kurtzweil. These ideas are the beginning of the blurring and manipulation of science to fit mans need for purposefulness. With its gospel of discovery and atomic disciples, science inadvertently preaches to us everyday through various electronic devices, allowing us to digest the information highway it has helped create. The democratic and androgynous nature of technology alongside the freedom of information has given rise to previous belief systems and social models being scrutinised, questioned and even erased. Instead, physics, astronomy and mathematics have usurped these traditional viewpoints, providing a new backdrop to place ourselves within the universe.

The finite screen prints (Physical Priests) and drawing (Rockscape 2) juxtapose the loose paintings to create intrigue and curiosity. As well as this polarization in medium and process, the carriage of certain motifs – such as the geometric shapes and authoritative figures from the drawing and prints – over to the paintings, link the two aesthetics and inform each other. 

The processes involved in making the work are attempts to connect the quality of the medium with the ideas they represent. With regards to the prints and drawing, they signify a more true to life science, one of accuracy, definition and clarity. On the other hand the fluid brushstrokes and extreme looseness of the paintings play a more ambiguous role. These paintings represent figures experiencing the wonders of science and people constructing their own tools for exploration, alongside images of nomadic characters, contemplating interesting shapes or ritualistic fires lit amongst geometric rocks. These are embellished with semi precious stones and gold chains. As opposed to the finite elements of the exhibition these paintings act as a catalyst for an ambiguous narrative, which is enhanced by the imposing monolithic pyramid in the centre of the space, as well as the small wooden boards with strange lines on them (Particle Paintings 1-5). It is ambiguity, confusion, and varying interpretations that I believe will germinate an irrational and mythic faith in science and it is this that my work tries to echo.

The pyramid houses a large gold relic-like landscape, made using 3D rapid prototyping tools, creating a physical object from virtual information. This serves to acknowledge technology’s role in the sciences with its increasing sophistication, showing its ability to reproduce natural landscapes. The pyramid, being a classic shape and wonder of the world emphasises the object it protects as being something precious. This, combined with the gold finish, relates to museum pieces, and religion’s use of gold to project the image of power, knowledge and authority. It is this tandem between the high technologies used to create the gold landscape and the ancient shape of its cabinet that attempt to force the viewer to re-examine and investigate all the disparate elements and enlighten themselves to the message. Added to all this, the 5 small wooden paintings of the tracks of some of the world’s particle accelerators, aim to link traditional religious paintings, often done on wood, to the more abstract world of particle physics. 

Titling each piece will play a key role in supplying a narrative as the manipulation of language can dictate the tone of some of the paintings.  Taking influence from Charles Avery and Steven Claydon the presentation and positioning of each piece is vital to the projected outcome.  

The progression from previous small paintings (which were of traditional lifestyles, indigenous people and religions), to these paintings, which show more fictitious characters, is one that is going to be pushed further in the future. I believe the combination of images and sculptures is a strong element in my work and this is going to be exploited.