Art Articles & Reviews

} Tracy Archinuk - Review By Robert Amos The most contrived and meaningless part of an artist’s career is the artist’s statement. It is antithetical to creativity and is often used like the Emperor’s clothing, duping the public with esoteric words and lofty ideas which rarely complement the execution of the artwork. If you want to talk about art, you should talk to the artist. from Tracy Archinuk’s artist statement I really didn’t know what to expect from Tracy Archinuk. His large panels - typically more than a metre square - have a glossy machine finish. They are layered with imagery which, for me, has never resolved itself into a single meaning. But, over the years I have seen his paintings appear one at a time in various locations, and I have been fascinated. The announcement of a show by Archinuk at the Macpherson Playhouse #3 Centennial Square, Victoria, until May 4) at last presented me with a pretext to meet the artist. Please note - it’s not easy to see this exhibition. Either you have to attend a performance at the Mac and check it out during intermission, or call Karen (361-0800 extension 1806) and make an appointment. I visited the artist in his Fairfield home and studio. Archinuk, who is 43, has lived for the past ten years in a single room about six metres square. His loft bed rests atop what looks like his life’s work. Moulds taken from the body of a voluptuous woman rest on most horizontal surfaces. We sat down on the only chairs in the room and began. “I paint on vinyl,” he told me. It’s a clear material, and thicker than a shower curtain. Using all manner of acrylic paint, he creates a sort of “under-glass-painting”. Then he laminates the vinyl - paint side down - onto a sheet of medite board, using carpenters’ glue. He presses the vinyl under 1200 pounds of water - “in pails,” he notes - for four hours, and it’s ready to hang. a painting on vinyl by Tracy Archinuk The resulting industrial-quality painted surface has many applications. His coffee table, wooden portfolio and an array of drink coasters all bear this out. I apologized for prying his “trade secrets” out of him, but he was happy to share his technique. In fact, he’ll be teaching a course on the subject May 9 at Island Blue (385-9786). I was sitting across from one of his large panels which owed a lot to Durer’s engraving of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Nearby, a portrait head rendered in what looked like newspaper photo dots was under development. Perhaps some detail about Archinuk’s background would help me understand what he is up to. At the age of 12, he offered, he took up his vocation as an artist. “I always loved to experiment,” he continued. Two years at Calgary’s Alberta College of Art led to a job as a preparator at the Glenbow Museum. Coming to Victoria in 1986, he worked as a conservator for government heritage sites here. Then he launched his career and, despite what I consider the brilliance of his work, he is patiently awaiting for fame to arrive. Getaway Car, Tracy Archinuk Making ingenious and attractive paintings doesn’t seem to be enough. “People spend more on nachos and movie rentals than they do on art,” he observed. The entertainment value of art and the personality of the artist appears to me more important than talent and technique. Archinuk believes that technically inept artists frequently become superstars. Undaunted, he goes his own way. Archinuk has 60 sketchbooks tucked under his bed, dating back to 1979. From them he photocopies his drawings onto acetate, scales them up with an antique overhead projector, and begins layering and overlapping his imagery. While the initial concept is “preformed” in his mind, he’s always open to “the accidental wonderful thing.” “What does it all mean?”, I ask without really expecting an answer. Archinuk replies, quoting Luis Merino: “There’s nothing wrong with simply painting beauty.” These panels are inconclusive, always open to interpretation. He then describes a picture called Desire, which shows four fish heads aiming toward what he tells me is a stylised worm. But we’re both more comfortable talking about the paint surface. I Put a Spell on You, Tracy Archinuk “The emphasis is on the execution of the work,” he allows. Marbled effects are created by laying on paint with lots of acrylic medium, pressing a piece of paper onto the still wet paint and then peeling it off. The pearlescent sheen of the paint shows through from the other side of the vinyl, looking rich and mysterious. Each image is composed of many layers of painting technique and subject matter. I accuse him of creating work that is a visual equivalent of channel surfing. “That’s a good handle on it,” Archinuk admits. Gears, cartoon hands and cutaway medical diagrams float by in the multicoloured broth. “I love the inventiveness of humans,” he muses. So do I, Tracy. So do I. ___________________________________________ Copyright © 2003 Robert Amos Robert Amos is an artist and art writer who lives in Victoria, B.C.. He can be contacted by e-mail and you can view his paintings at www.robertamos.com