Alan Neider: There Will Be Lamps - Artist Statement
For years I have been fascinated with, and influenced by, the fashion industry, especially as it relates to women’s fashion. The aggressively unique shapes created by the use of textured, patterned fabrics speak to me. I am in awe of the craftsmanship, care and labor it takes to create one-of-a-kind garments. In the studio, I cut shapes from the huge pile of fabrics I have collected and sew them onto moving blankets, which serve as the substrate. The colors, patterns, and heavy quality of the cloth form a visually complex surface to paint on. In fact, in a sense, I am “painting” with the fabrics. The thick paint itself is often integrated with the fabrics; but just as often, the paint and the fabric seem to go into battle with each other. This fight/conflict/anti-harmony sets up a tension in the painting that becomes an important part of the work. I am in pursuit of my own language, which not everyone will understand. While my work is primarily about “painting”, I see it located ...
