Between Silence and Substance: The Generative and Transformative Power of Pictopoiesis
A deeply rooted cycle of regeneration and transformation threads through my work, progressing over four decades. Central to this ongoing evolution are pictopoiesis, semiosis, and symbiosis – three guiding forces. Pictopoiesis is the art of painting as if it were the cultivation of a living entity; semiosis is the creation and communication of meaning; and symbiosis concerns interconnected relationships that arise within and beyond the image. I consciously imbue these systems into the artworks, to vivify them from the outset, through their interpretations, to their entanglement in a larger system of existence.
In Between Silence and Substance (Black Dot), these forces come together in a convergence of silence and substance. The work distils complexity into a visual simplicity, yet its depth is palpable. The large dark mass at its centre embodies an enigmatic presence, replete with regenerative potential. It’s not merely black, it is a dense darkness, hovering on the edge of mystery. Like a cosmic zero, it is a primal point of origin, it exists as a point awaiting transformation and evolution. As I painted it over weeks and months, the image emerged and grew into being, layer upon layer, until it became what it is now – a textural, material surface representative of a visible invisible realm.
In pictopoiesis, form is cultivated, the act of creation, in this sense, is akin to tending a garden, rather than constructing an object. The black shape in Between Silence and Substance (Black Dot) arose organically, not by my will alone but as if the image itself willed itself into being. I intended for the dark mass to dominate the canvas, not through a sense of imposition, rather, I wanted it to evoke a world where form is felt more than seen, where its weight and presence are experienced without the need for it to be named or classified. This form, solid yet fluid at its edges, exudes a gravity that demands attention. Yet, it retains a quiet aloofness, as though it is both here and not here. It is an entity brought into existence not to represent something external, but to simply exist, to be experienced in its own right.
In semiosis, the creation and conveyance of meaning, Between Silence and Substance (Black Dot) offers something more abstract and open-ended. The image resists easy interpretation; it is a placeholder, a vital zero pulsing with potential. The large dark shape, uneven and textured, can be seen as many things: an organic mass, a stone, a void, or a portal to something beyond. But the fine black line descending from the form is also significant – a thread, connecting the shape to the world outside its boundaries. This delicate line is a reminder of the tenuous relationship between the image and the meaning that it carries – bridging the gap between creation and interpretation, between life before and after, suggesting that the work is always in dialogue with the world beyond the canvas. I was interested in how, without clear symbols or narratives, the viewer might be drawn in, to project their emotions and experiences onto the image. Meaning is not fixed, but fluid, shaped by personal reflection and interaction with the artwork.
The symbiosis embodied in Between Silence and Substance (Black Dot) unfolds in the relationship between the dense, textured mass and the lightness of the space around it. The negative space, present as the white lightly coloured background, does not merely serve as a contrast but actively holds the form in balance. The interplay between dark and light, heavy and airy, forms a visual ecosystem in which both elements depend on each other to convey the full impact of the image. The tension between these opposites creates a balancing act of harmony, a visual conversation to mirror the interconnectedness of all things. Beyond the physical relationships within the painting, a larger symbiosis exists between the artwork and its viewers, the painting inviting contemplation, by creating a space where the thoughts and feelings of the viewer might merge with the work itself, forming a dynamic, living exchange.
In Between Silence and Substance (Black Dot) pictopoiesis acts as the force that seeds and shapes the form, semiosis invites meaning through abstraction, and symbiosis highlights the relationships within the painting and between the work and its audience. I am interested in creating artworks that transcend representation, offering a deeper meditation on creation, meaning, and interconnectedness.
Featured Image – Between Silence and Substance (Big Black Dot Painting) Original work in oil on aluminium 1250 x 1230mm by J.Waring Rago