DRAW Space are delighted to present John Stanfield / TIME COLLECTING 2001-2024
Curated by Chelsea Lehmann and Melinda Hunt
At DRAW Space in October 2024, John Stanfield will install an unchronological selection of drawings from the past two decades. The exhibition titled Time Collecting explores the glyph as an archetype that moves beyond individual and cultural boundaries. Stanfield uses drawing as a tool that allows for a broad investigation into the nature of universal forms and transcendent ideas in the pursuit of an individual language.
‘Plato postulated the existence of transcendental ideas which he called arkhetypos, meaning “first- moulded” that served as the ultimate reality behind the imperfect manifestations of the physical realm. He contended that these archetypal forms represented the pre-essence of beauty, justice and love, serving as templates from which all things in the material world derive their existence.’
Thomas Singer, 2023
Join John and the DRAW Space team at 6pm on Thursday 3 October to celebrate this remarkable body of work.
BIO
John Stanfield is a Sydney-based multi-disciplinary artist working across mediums with a focus on drawing. He is the Drawing Technician at the National Art School. For John, drawing is both an act of making and discovery. It involves more than just producing images; it’s about the process of becoming — both for the drawing and the maker. As elements appear, disappear, and transform, they reveal new visual meanings.
Drawing is an act of making and discovery
A statement from the artist to accompany the exhibition
‘What is most personal is most universal.’ —Carl R. Rogers, American psychologist
In 2001, I completed a six-month residency with the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, Malta, drawing on my connection as someone of Maltese heritage. My focus was on exploring the emblematic aspects associated with the insularity of island cultures, drawing parallels between the ecology of the Australian landscape and that of the smaller island of Malta. My interest in island archaeology stems from the inherent sense of isolation found in islands. ‘The key attraction in island archaeology is probably the sense of isolation that is inherent in islands.’ (Maltese Prehistoric Art 5000-2500BC, edited by Anthony Pace 1996) Initially, in 1999, I worked from a small, isolated pocket of bushland on the outskirts of Sydney. Both sites became for me, ‘fecund sources of cultural exploration and independent vision’, (Exhibition Essay, Margaret Mayhew, 2002).
Artworks created in insular environments contain unique characteristics shaped by seclusion and specific cultural contexts; they reflect the characteristics of local customs and beliefs. This insularity allows for the preservation and development of tradition distinct from outside communities due to the collective’s strong connection to culture, materiality, and beliefs. Neolithic Malta’s insular creativity is evident in their monuments, which were built to withstand the test of time. The emphasis on durability and permanence indicates that time was a principal concern, (Pace).
In 2002, by unusual fate, I took a trip to Northeast Thailand, colloquially called ‘Isaan.’ This region, which once belonged to Laos, is relatively isolated from major centres. The somewhat insular environment drew unexpected parallels with my research in Europe and the distinct ecological setting of the Australian bushland that initially inspired me. The region’s combined Buddhist and animist culture displayed iconography with a similar context to my previous research; it enabled a bridge between the seen and unseen and the realisation of the intangible.
The synthesis of Eastern and Western elements opened new forms of cross-cultural practice. Exploring the interplay between Eastern and Western iconography, which reflects centuries of cultural exchange and trade, has shaped how I reinterpret mythological and religious traditions. In my work, I use the economy and essentialisation of glyphs to distil these complex interactions into a visual form.
Glyphs come from the Greek word γλυφή (gluphḗ, meaning “carving”). They are symbolic forms of pictorial writing that bridge visual art and language, crucial for preserving and transmitting cultural knowledge. Glyphs endure through time, with only the most resilient ones surviving. They evolve and challenge our perceptions, tracing societal change.
Historically, glyphs have influenced the course of history through drawing, transcending reality and capturing cultural complexity. They contain layers of meaning, interpreted across different cultures and languages, emphasising heritage and identity. This highlights the universal nature of mark-making as a form of communication, where a glyph can be seen as ‘any purposeful mark’.
In my recent work, I explore glyph archetypes through drawing, incorporating patterns, rituals, and myths. This approach pushes traditional metaphors and offers new interpretations of familiar concepts. My drawing installations use a diagrammatic format similar to the newspaper layout, exploring mutable forms across different media and materials within a given structure. This method, characterised by procedural and habitual practice, allows for the refinement of previously unrecognised ideas.
Through drawing, we gain visual frameworks to navigate knowledge, opening pathways to understanding and ultimately, freedom.
© John Stanfield 2024