John McCartney

All Things Have Holes

This work began at the beginning of the pandemic, when everything changed. We were suspended. We waited. The world seemed smaller. Also, there was a freedom from the work clock and commuting, and I felt like a working artist again. A friend came over late last year wanting to look at my work, and I pulled out a roll of about twenty recent drawings. We started looking at them on the floor and it quickly became apparent that I was having trouble figuring out which way was up. It was funny but also a bit awkward; usually my initials are at the bottom.

I draw sculpturally and the images find their gravity after a while. I hate throwing stuff out and I think there is value in struggling with your materials and ideas. I got out the scissors, knives and glue. This work is a mashup of time spent assembling, dis-assembling and putting back together a thing that touches all the surfaces and makes it harder to orient yourself in the space. It’s a bit in your face.

John McCartney, June 2022