Rorschach - inspired imagery

It is incredible how often people hit on the same visual ideas simultaneously. The current zeitgeist is the use of Rorschach-inspired imagery. The Rorschach test was developed by a Swiss psychologist in 1921. It is a test used by psychologists in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and analysed. Some psychologists believe that this test can be used to examine a person's personality, characteristics and emotional functioning.

The influence of Hermann Rorschach's discoveries were discussed in an article in the current Tate Magazine, Spring 2011 by Christopher Turner, The Deliberate Accident in which he talks about how "the accidental blot, chance mark, or the naturally occurring stain can be a starting point for some extradordinary art." A view first developed by Leonardo Da Vinci. The article was written in advance of the Watercolour exhibition being held at Tate Britain until 21st August 2011.

The fact that chance marks can be starting points for painting compositions is very much in evidence in Marco Crivello's work. Indeeed he talks about this in his film, Threshold, a short documentary about his working methods in the studio. In the photographs from his sketchbook below we can see how iron oxide stains from rust have created a beautiful effect on this jetty in Greece and similarly seaweed growing on a chalk cliff in Sussex. Further below is a new small painting recently completed in his studio, Moorland II.

As for more Rorschach-inspired imagery this could not be better demonstrated by the clever television advertising for the new Audi, "Imagination meets Engineering."

Another artist we represent, Eberhard Ross, was inspired to take photographs during the snowy winter months to further explore his notions of organic geometry. As it turned out the photographs also had a feeling of the Rorschach technique about them. Below is Organic Geometry 3.

Finally, with the Affordable Art Fair in London coming up next week we can see how the graphics department who would have been working on their campaign before the end of last year came up with more of this imagery which you can see in the PDF of this half-price ticket for two. Incidentally, if you print out this ticket you can use it to get into the fair next week 10th - 13th March. Full details are available on the Affordable Art Fair website.

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