Mirror 1941

Archie Thompson made this drawing of a mirror, we don't know when, or even exactly with what. It feels like the process was one of gentle accumulation, with the image revealing itself slowly through layer after layer of delicate marks. The surface of this mirror is fascinating; a web of fine cracks stretches across the glass like an intricate map. There are traces of color, too, pinks and blues bleeding into the reflected space, hinting at hidden depths beneath the surface. The more you look, the more ambiguous it all becomes, what's in front of the mirror and what's behind it? There’s a painting of a ship above, framed by autumnal leaves. I wonder if Thompson was thinking about the relationship between art and life, and how both are always filtered through our own subjective experience? It reminds me a little of the work of Forrest Bess, who was also fascinated by hidden meanings and the way that images can unlock something deep within us. Art isn't about fixed meanings, but about opening up possibilities.