Everything AND Nothing is finally installed at loop Gallery! For me, drawing is direct, spontaneous, immediate and visceral. The act of drawing creates a direct channel to the imagination, to the unconscious. This stream-of-consiousness approach leaves little time for second guessing. One has to trust that each twitch of muscle and each nuance of chalk will lead eventually to some form of congruent narrative.
Faces and figures emerge seemingly on their own accord. Shapes draw themselves. My job is to implement some semblance of order, but really, each drawing seems to have its inner logic. Not that I don't try to force my intention on a drawing. For example, up above, what started out as a coyote ended up looking like a genteel family dog. The drawing immediately above started out as a large drawing with a background and landscape but ... well, the process dictated otherwise. Out came the X-acto and "goodbye" went the landscape.
My work is influenced by my interest is psycho-spiritual matters. Over the years I have studied Buddhism, Shamanism, Transformational Psychotherapy along with various forms of energy healing, meditation and expressive arts. There are some obvious art history influences such as Bosch and Breughal, alchemistical illustrations, surrealism, magic realism and contemporary figurative work. I like the fact that the work feels old and new at the same time. If you're interested in learning more about these works, Barbara Rehus, who is showing Can't.Breath, and I will be doing an artist's ramble on Sunday, December 9th at 2pm. Eschewing the traditional artist's talk or Q&A, we ask you to join us as we ramble around the gallery and address our work in a casual, rambling manner.
As well, on Sunday, December 2nd, my band The Body In Question and I will be playing a concert of quiet, ambient electronic music.
Charles Hackbarth
