Artist Statement
"Out of Bounds" ~ Oil and Antiquing Wax on Canvas
Copyright 2024, Michael Torres ~ All Rights Reserved
No one is truly free
who is not the master of themselves.
I am YOU are me, in reflection, mirrors, often only seeing what WE recognize in ourselves, projected onto surface, both darkness and light, observed externally, the vastness within, our fear and fire judged through the pain and promise of others, sought, unknowingly, so that we may see what remains hidden in us
At its heart, my body of work could be described as an Excavation of the Unconscious.
But, even more important than the "what"... is the "why", which revolves around a central premise:
Anything that truly evolves... also changes;
even when change is scary.
As a result of this, my portfolio has evolved with me over the course of many years, both in technical execution and in concept. Although, I'll readily admit that the latter (the concept) is not always easy to identify on the surface; partly, because my work is not linear in its execution; but also, because the influence of the unconscious can be difficult to grasp, and... even more so... to accept (at times).
After all, the unconscious is called the unconscious
for a reason;
because it sits outside of our awareness.
So, to introduce this concept more succinctly is to say that the unconscious encompasses what we consider to be our most natural instincts, inclinations, tendencies, aversions, etc... often existing without our permission and despite our capacity to capture and submit them to our own will.
(Click on Image to View Slide Deck)
Creative Process
Because much of my work has been both an inquiry and a dialogue (with the Self) I have to admit that finding my way to the center of this conversation has taken years. And, when unconscious impressions have demanded more than logic and a disciplined brush, I have had to employ the psychoanalytic techniques of automatism (random mark making) and association to find the work's hidden meaning, ultimately disabling the voice of reason to prevent it from imposing itself onto the image.
This method is not predictable, of course. But, that is also the point; because the avoidance of pre-meditation enables the very impulse of image making to divulge its own secrets, its own reasons for compelling the mind and body into action; not only illuminating what was once hidden in the deepest recesses of the mind, but also, opening the door to more rational evaluation later.
Still, this process does not affect change on its own, of course. But, through the careful observation and evaluation of exposed psychological artifacts, the decision making process is better equipped to harmonize behavior (instincts and tendencies) with the ideal (the person we want and aspire to be); thereby... providing the opportunity to evolve.
