Anubis 1987

Rene Duvillier's "Anubis" is a watercolour of indeterminate date, and it's all about letting the paint do its thing, isn't it? The pigment blooms and spreads like a stain or aura, thin washes pooling to create a hazy, ethereal feeling. It's as if the image emerges from the act of painting itself. See how the central vertical axis of orange marks anchors the composition. It is a hieroglyph of sorts, both calling to mind the subject of the piece and providing a visceral focal point to the work. The black ink bleeds into the surrounding paper, creating hard, angular shapes which paradoxically deepen the sense of translucence in the centre. Duvillier clearly has a feel for the emotional qualities of the medium. It reminds me of late works by Georgiana Houghton, where the subject matter of spiritualism finds its analogue in the process-based approach. The work has an openness that invites multiple interpretations, embracing the fluidity of the creative act.