Memory documents: José Parlá

A little while ago i came across an interview with Cuban artist Jose Parla on the American art website www.fecalface.com, which pointed me in the direction of Elms Lester's Painting rooms in London, where he happened to have a show on at the time. I visited Adaption / Translation a while back with a friend and was seriously set aback with the sheer energy and depth all of the paintings had. Walking round the exhibition for the first time, i felt it hard to visually analyse all the paintings fully, simply because i felt no need - it was a satisfying experience just exploring the paintings casually. I ended up visiting the exhibition a further 2 times in order to fully solidify a true and personal understanding of the work.

Through plentiful background reading into the work ethic of Parla i have expanded my understanding of the meaning of his painting. Aesthetically the work can be described as densely layered compilations of a huge variety of mixed media which build up a deep ground upon which his rolling layers of calligraphic / graffiti style scribblings can be inscribed upon. Images such as Dance, Dance, Dance (2008), pictured above, is a prime example of such a work. Featured in the Adaption / Translation exhibition, it recalled the worn and eroded walls of urban environments, with the distinct influence of graffiti emerging in the work as a series of downward bending layers of writing.

The writing itself, which the artist describes as 'calligraphy,' is used as a form of drawing, with which he records observations. Compositions are derived from the observations of deteriorated walls in the cities visited on Parla's travels. Photography of such influences can be found in the exhibition catalogue. I drew heavy inspiration from the exhibition, now incorporating huge sections of newspaper headlines to add drama and bold visual interest to my work. I will undoubtedly write more on this fascinating painter in months to come...