Abstraction Principle

This series consists of eight works on paper mounted on board, developed through an open material exploration. The surfaces incorporate printmaking ink, drawing ink, natural fibres, oil paint, and earth ochres. The compositions emphasise layered marks, textures, and tonal contrasts, reflecting a process of reduction and refinement.

The series emerged from an attempt to simplify and distil the complex residues left by the academic process of completing my MA Fine Art degree. Through varied materials and gestural application, I channelled the emotional aftermath of this transition: a sense of emptiness, reflection, and an urgent impulse to begin again. The works function as both release and renewal, translating the psychological weight of completion into materially grounded, tactile surfaces that signal the beginning of a new phase of practice.
The series’ title, borrowed from software engineering and programming language theory, refers to a fundamental concept or rule that governs how something functions and eliminates duplication within a program. I applied this idea conceptually, using it as a tool to identify core emotions and ideas within layered experiences. The resulting visual language simplifies and solidifies, much like a program’s logic streamlines code. For me, the series became both a meditation on simplification and a method for navigating the tension between complexity and clarity.