Buchanan 1987

Curator: Buchanan, painted in 1987 by Albert Irvin, presents a fascinating composition in acrylic on canvas. Editor: My immediate sense is a frenetic energy. There's so much happening, but somehow the overall impression is of layered vibrancy against a sombre background. I’m wondering about Irvin’s method here… the marks, the scale? Curator: Well, looking at the period in which this artwork was created, the late 1980s, it would be impossible to view the abstract and geometric figures and forms of the artwork outside of a socio-historical context in the Thatcherite era of Britain and what that represents culturally, especially regarding race, gender, class, and the impact of late capitalism in the art world. Editor: That is compelling when you look closer, considering that Irvin studied at the Leeds School of Art and became deeply entrenched in printmaking, teaching for decades at Goldsmiths. His process involved numerous preliminary studies; therefore, his approach involves pre-planning the compositions before applying acrylic paints, building up layers. These material considerations certainly affect the impact of this artwork. Curator: Absolutely, there's also a potent dialogue going on with modernist artistic heritage. The dialogue within modernism created in geometric form offers a rich narrative. How do the bright colours work? How does a piece with such vibrant tones of ochre, violet and blood red on the surface come across? Editor: The darkness is key, right? The surface is almost an invasion upon the black or umber background of the canvas, especially with the dripping or accidental moments in mark making visible throughout the layers. Perhaps it gives an urban sensibility that mirrors Irvin’s fascination with modernist architecture. Curator: Perhaps you're right. Viewing this through an interdisciplinary perspective then – by combining the urban-architectural environment with socio-political elements we create a potent mixture! Editor: It’s clear that he isn't just working, Irvin builds with his materials, there’s texture and substance here that really communicates this energy and dynamism. I now feel like I've understood a little bit more about how Albert Irvin constructed such work with such a considered view. Curator: Indeed. By looking into the work this piece performs through colour, materials, process, we come face-to-face with a cultural movement which then reflects that society within the artwork. It reflects both the art scene, the art and Albert himself, both internally and socially, thus offering rich meaning when taking these contexts and putting it alongside its appearance to the audience.