Chromatic Fields is a collaborative project between the composer Jamie Crofts and myself that centres around a limited edition book work. The book explores the inherent potential of printmaking for multiple rotations and permutations. A particular concern was in positioning print as an extension of drawing, and as a means of extending its field through collaboration in which the book holds a pivotal place. The ability of the original print as a means to produce multiples, which are not reproductions of existing artworks but are developed specifically for the medium of execution was fundamental concern.
Chromatic Fields emerged as part of a sabbatical in which I inaugurated a series of conversations wherein Jamie and I shared our interests in composition, notation, drawing, music and silence. Since 2006 Jamie has been working on a series of musical compositions with the title Chromatic Fields while simultaneously I was working on an ongoing series of colour pencil drawings. The resulting book consists of screen-printed score and image, alternated throughout the book nine times each with blank pages of ‘silence’ interspersed. It also incorporates a CD - of mp3’s, and data.
An exhibition of the book and related drawings took place at Art at Wharepuke Gallery, New Zealand in September 2001 and a conference paper based on the book work and collaborative process was presented at Impact 7: International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking Conference, MONASH University Melbourne, September 27 -30 2011. The paper is due to be published by MONAS University publishing as part of the conference proceedings. The book was also exhibited at part of the Soundwaves Festival, University of Brighton and at the Friends Meeting House, which included a promenade performance of Chromatic Fields 51 to 59. A further exhibition is due to take place at Ian Rastrick Fine Art, St Albans, UK in June/July 2012. Alongside this there will be a performance of piano music selected by Duncan Bullen and Jamie Crofts and performed by Jamie Crofts at the Maltings, St. Albans 9 June 2012.
*Jamie Crofts was born in Nottingham in 1961 and studied Creative Arts at Newcastle Polytechnic. He has been writing music since 1977, and has given concerts involving the work of Erik Satie since 1979, he has recently published previously unpublished works by Satie and Claude Debussy. He has written “furniture music” for numerous exhibitions, including a commission from the V&A Museum for their Cutting Edge exhibition (50 Years of British Fashion) 1947 ’97. www.soundkiosk.com
