David Mackenzie

Artist Statment

For the past thirty years I have been exploring the relationship of structure, process and image. My desire has been to liberate my work from the inherent limitations associated with pictorial representation by attempting to reestablish a new logic and structure for pictorial space.

Having explored the above issue over an extended period of time I have come to realize the obstacles facing painting are not only located in the language of representation and image but also the very act of painting as we know it. I now believe painting, as a social convention needs to be readdressed in order to move forward. Otherwise I am afraid painting will continue to be plagued by the irrelevance issue, which as a painter I believe is not true.

By no means have I been successful in solving any of these problems, but to paraphrase Thomas Edison I know a thousand ways not to make a light bulb shine, madam. I know a thousand ways not to make a painting something more than what it is.