Construction Paintings
For the additional solo exhibition at Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, 2018
Sidewalk construction marks painted in fluorescent graffiti, raw building sites, synthetic house wraps, … the different stages of architectural measures and urban planning is something that marks our daily lives.
Being in a constant state of flux, such structural interventions blend into our surroundings, being no more than functional interferences. Although these technical and architectural processes are defined by protocol and rules, a signature style determined by the particular approach of a construction worker or building companies, can be perceived when taking a closer look.
This is what fascinates Ayrton Eblé (°1994 Holwerd (NL)). Visiting building sites and unfinished locations on a weekly basis, Eblé has his eyes on the dialogues, rhythm and aesthetics peculiar to these raw settings. Inspired by perpetual urban developments, the artist emulates the relationship between man and the architectural materials of his time and transforms it into an aesthetical research.
A level of functionality determines the overall presence of the work, which is visible in the monumental black painting where canvas, covered with floor paint, is mounted on a self-constructed wooden frame by means of visible carriage bolts. The same is applicable to the robust blue composition where a black steal frame is used to stretch out a construction fence or in the suspension system pushing two concrete rectangles away from the wall.
Moving within the scope of painting and sculpture, Ayrton Eblé treats each wall piece in a three-dimensional way. This results in a monumental series of ‘construction paintings’ - a formal distillation of the urban aesthetics of spaces and non-spaces that surround us.
Lien Craps