Research Task: Nonlinear Perspective
- Abbie Vidler
- Feb 2
- 4 min read
Julie Mehretu
Julie Mehretu works in large scale and creates abstract gestural paintings; the process of these paintings is divisive up into layers, the layers consist of "pigment, graphite and ink"1. Her work visualises "geometric renderings" and what I call expressive (impulsive) lines. Rather than strictly sticking to basic architecture perspective, Mehretu will look for shapes, lines and sometimes references geological effects such as the weather systems, traffic patterns, flight patterns etc. 2
Throughout the layers, you will discover different marks representing different things, because of this it's hard to pin-point her stance on perspective; which I believe makes it just as wonderful and fascinating. There is so much on the paper/canvas to see it possible as an proof of existence, it's almost everything, it's messy and beautiful. Seeing deconstructed this way makes you look at how we all see landscapes/buildings/objects/patterns, we see it as an individual thing as one shape rather than the thing that makes it up.
The perspective keeps you invest, there isn't a specific perspective to point (that I know), but with the intricate layers throughout it feeds into the narrative of exploration, from one line into another, into a shape into another.
Philippe Weisbecker
From capturing every detail to capturing the simple things, Philippe Weisbecker is very interested in the "skeleton" of a subject, reduced into it's simple shape of form. His work is created predominantly in coloured pencils and uses old washi paper, reused to give his drawings a "floating" look and enhances the drawing with textures and colour. 3 His process is very special, with the paper he will draw on the fragile light paper, when he makes a mistake he'll take another paper and draw on-top (since the paper is so thin); for his 3-dimensional work he'll used cardboard and old tapes. 4
I'm really interested on the thought-process behind each of illustration, the way he decides to use old paper because of the practicality of it, being able to redraw on top of the thin paper. The use of pencils and rulers to create precise lines; all of it adds to the perspective, you stare at it and wonder what made him design it this way.
The perspective in his drawings is axonometric, because of this it allows you to explore the subject in a flat, askew angle-- capturing different element of the subject without the 3D look.
Pia Bramley
Another artist who isn't keen on the traditional perspective, illustrator and print-maker, Pia Bramley tells the story of her everyday life through drawings and print-making. These creates prints that allows her to slow down and enjoy the process of her daily life; anything that she'll remember about the day she'll use to create her pieces of work. With print-making, she's able to adapt the shapes, moving them to make a more successful image, which is why she's hesitant on drawing beforehand as she believes that her drawings transferred onto a print doesn't create a strong image as the original sketch does 5. With her drawing illustrations, she will draw the same thing multiple times, refining until she's happy with the final image.
Her perspective is different with every illustration, sometimes it's axonometric but sometimes it's like below, a flat looking non-linear perspective. I really like the feeling this sort of perspective gives to the illustrations, it feels like a fleeting moment, capturing what she can before the moment goes too far away.
Refection
After choosing three artists out of nine, and researching, the two artists I found especially interesting is Julie Muhretu and Pia Bramley. I really loved the exploration and layers to Julie Muhretu's work, how deeply thought about each element is and how unusual the perspective is; and in contrast I loved Pia Bramley's fleeting captures of daily life, with the perspective shifting for each illustration it feels like it's capturing a snapshot in her mind.
Overall, this research task was quite difficult to do, I tried to find as much as I could about the artist, however I feel like I didn't find as much as the research task was asking of me for. I really did enjoy exploring the different artist, it makes me feel better for not being amazing at perspective myself as they make it work in their favour, whether it's to add lots of elements, or technical drawing, or drawing from the daily life.
I also liked to see how each artist use their tools to create their illustrations, the different techniques and mediums makes me want to explore and experiment. It's got me quite excited to get into the next assignment!
1 U/A, Art Net 'Julie Mehretu, U/A. https://www.artnet.com/artists/julie-mehretu/ Accessed Feb 2nd, 2025.
2 U/A, MoMA 'Julie Mehretu', U/A. https://www.moma.org/artists/25414-julie-mehretu Accessed Feb 2nd, 2025.
3 U/A, THE WRONG SHOP 'Philippe Weisbecker and the simple beauty of furniture', U/A. https://thewrongshop.co.uk/blogs/news/philippe-weisbecker-beauty-of-furniture?srsltid=AfmBOooChwoBDO7KXXlKYywqsRORUcg9NWP-cr14dg6ik1ExpLkNdApv Accessed Feb 2nd, 2025.
4 竹中大工道具館, YouTube '‘Philippe Weisbecker at his workspace in Paris’（Japanese and English)' Oct 2, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp2wKj6ISM4 Accessed Feb 2nd, 2025.
5 U/A, HandPrinted 'MEET THE MAKER: PIA BRAMLEY', Oct 5, 2023. https://handprinted.co.uk/blogs/blog/meet-the-maker-pia-bramley?srsltid=AfmBOoodRudAUhnKf_qeLx3dYh2Wf2lSjKmU_LI1IhrGbdp11ZW7XA7E Accessed Feb 2nd, 2025.
6 Royal Drawing School, YouTube 'Student Story: PIa Bramley', Nov 18, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuplqX7E_Xo Accessed Feb 2nd, 2025. m
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