Abstract Art: ADG 26.007 Quadrata 01

Quadrata 01 is the first of the layered ink works that I did as an experiment on the idea of combining the concept of terrain contour modeling with my ink art.

In terms of creating architecture models, terrain contour is shaping, cutting, and putting together layers of cardboard to create an accurate physical terrain map of a project location for presentation and analysis. During my time in architecture school, this technique was already a niche skill that was slowly being replaced by the digital tools that have become the standard in the architectural profession. These manual drafting and modelling skills (which I have mused about before) were just some of the things I learned in school and never actually applied on the job, so to speak.

In this case, my contouring the pieces of paper to create a work with a three-dimensional feel was a test to see if the said skills were still in me or not. (Luckily, they were still there, ready to use!)

Therefore, Quadrata 01 shows that combining flat ink works with a form of “bas-relief” emulation using layers of Bristol paper can be an interesting direction to my work.

An invitation to the viewer

As this was the first one, I asked my friends and colleagues what they thought of it. One said that it looked like an Aztec temple floor plan; another immediately imagined fabric textiles. Yet others said that it had elements of a hospital floor plan (which I found hilarious, having come from that background).

I find it fascinating that different people who viewed the same work came up with different interpretations. To me, it means that Quadrata 01 is a success as an abstract work. I think abstract art should invite the viewer to interpret it based on their own experiences, notions, backgrounds, and perhaps even biases or moods at the moment of viewing.

As I mentioned in my post about Rectangulus 02, the primary idea of my works is that they are physical representations of a designer’s mind. The fact that the viewers of my works have a different idea of what they are looking at is a good thing, as I like to invite others to see what they will. That adds a certain beauty to the work because now it is a shared experience.

If you're interested in this work, please feel free to contact us.

Quadrata 01, framed, 28.5 x 28.5 cm.

PhP 8,125.00