The Resilience of Drawing, Chelsea

The Resilience of Drawing, June 22nd 2016

The Banqueting Hall, Chelsea College of Arts

2-5pm The Resilience of Drawing symposium

How does drawing continue to remain so significant a form in our Post Digital age?

Artists and curators Rachael Whiteread, Mary Doyle, Hillary Mushkin, Tim Knowlesand Angela Kingston led talks throughout the symposium and explored the resilience of drawing in our Post Digital age. The event was chaired by Tania Kovats.

'Drawing continues to offer compelling visual communication across a range of creative disciplines operating as a shared place maker, build bridges between thinking and making, and a resilient form of deep human interaction.'

This event also marked the re-launch of The Centre for Drawing: Wimbledon and an associated digital archive of the Centre's previous activities. The Centre for Drawing was the first specialist drawing centre in the UK and has a unique place in the story of how drawing has moved from the peripheral to an expanding field in its own right.

Rachel Whiteread above and to the right

I felt that this debate was as relevant to painting as it was to drawing. Both disciplines involve mark making. The wide range of discussions and variety of approaches were innovative, fascinating and creative. The history of mark making is as pertinent to drawing as it is to painting. This felt as pertinent as the About Face symposium where there are many guises and approaches.

For me the most engaging speakers were Rachel Whiteread and Tim Knowles. Their practices were as fascinating as their dialogue.

With Rachel Whiteread her drawing illustrates the way she thinks and comes up with ideas, which for many artists is the way they traditionally use a sketchbook. It is a process I can relate to but am aware that in drawing terms I do not do as much drawing as I would like. My painting has become my drawing.

Tim Knowles practice was immersive and definitely the most inventive and creative way of thinking I have seen for a while. In particular Tim's tree drawings were like a mixture of science, nature and alchemy. The wind dictates the way the branches move.

The results are both beautiful and totally spontaneous unrehearsed. I feel that this unrehearsed approach draws a parallel to my practice with the way I allow for moments to occur naturally.

Tim Knowles below and to the left