Articles

The Paradox of Magic

Samuel Playford 2010

About Matthew Douglas´ practice.
This paradox, as Blanchot knows, is also the paradox of art. We can see a name, a definable point on a piece of paper that gives us this artworks origin; and yet, by no means was the artist alone during the works inauguration..

Gesture: forced and unforced action

Matthew Douglas 2009

Creative activity, that is - the actions of an artist can be split [ crudely ] into two types : The forced and the unforced.
Whenever I am asked to elaborate or explain this belief I always use the analogy of throwing paper balls into wastepaper baskets...
...If one allows the mind to work instinctively and throws without over thinking, the shot will be more likely to hit target. Once one begins to pull apart the mechanics of this process and over thinks ones action the shot becomes more hesitant, more forced, and usually less successful.