Even at the end of a challenging week - for myself, for the world, for the stock market - Mel Bochner’s monoprints still put a smile on my face. When frustrated, I often find that I connect more to those that feature more “colorful” language, but today, this piece is lifting my sprits.
Phillips, an auction house with a strong international presence as well as a flagship location in New York City, recently produced an excellent article about Mel Bochner’s process (both creative and technical) when creating his monoprints. I also enjoyed reading an older interview with Bochner in The Brooklyn Rail in which he mentions that his father was a sign painter - interesting, considering the focus on text in Bochner’s own practice.
In the same interview, Bochner offers insight into his artistic approach, which could also be read as advice for anyone looking to begin or enhance their own creative practice:
My way of doing things is to follow my interests wherever they lead me. I don’t have a pre-formed theory about what my work is or should be. I work by making up hypotheses, “What would happen if…” and then working through the contradictions as they come up. It’s an inductive process and it has led me up some blind alleys, but that’s what makes being an artist interesting. That’s where the adventure is, in the not-knowing.
Finally, if a Mel Bochner original is out of your budget but you’d like to incorporate some of his inspiration into your daily life and surroundings, his work also makes a lovely mug.
Wishing everyone an Amazing weekend.