oval

1998
oil on linen, 56 x 51 cm


This painting was inspired in part by seeing an exhibition of paintings by Mondrian in what is now the Tate Britain. I'd made a quick sketch noting down this form of a oval which I liked. I like how the shape goes outside the edges of the canvas. We assume it's an oval because of the title and the four curves in the corners but really we are conditioned to see things that aren't there. We are comfortable with this interpretation and it fits with our perception. It's more difficult to conceive of a different interpretation.