Cover of Artforum 2020

Gretchen Andrew’s ‘Cover of Artforum’ is a mixed-media work made with all sorts of stuff; drawing, collage, objects, the whole shebang. The making process feels really playful, kind of childlike, with this pastel-y palette and all these whimsical motifs. The surface is built up with so many textures and layers. You have these soft, washy colours next to hard-edged lines and then these almost garish 3D elements that really pop. The juxtaposition of the flat picture plane with these protruding elements creates such an illusion. Take for instance the butterfly on the flower; it's a beautiful moment of contrast between the natural and the artificial. The work reminds me a bit of David Hockney's photo collages, where he's fragmenting time and space, and using a similar vibrant and almost kitschy aesthetic. Ultimately, it's a celebration of art-making as an open-ended, experimental process. It refuses to be pinned down to one single interpretation.