Artist Statement for 600 Black Spots
As 600 BLACK SPOTS represents the halfway point in this series of books, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about my art. When finished, this project will include five Volumes, a title for each color in my palette and 50 kinetic sculptures in all.
For many years I have collected the bits and pieces of pop-up structures that for one reason or another did not make it into a book but had something about them that appealed to me. The kinetic sculptures in these books began as experiments and evolved into non-representative spontaneous form, like Modern Art, with no intended meaning but simply free form creative expression. For me, these minimalist sculptures represent color, form and whimsy in the purist form. Yet peeking through the purity I have found sub conscience influences. Take for instance Dreaming Elephants Fly from BLUE 2, once this piece was finished it revived memories of the Tinker Toy structures I built for hours on end as a child and in Six Fluttering Flicker Clickers from ONE RED DOT, I recall playing cards in the spokes of my bicycle.
I write the words only after the sculptures are finished and like the Japanese haiku, the words are few but have layers of meaning. In this book, the words Blue Memphis Arisin’ came to mind because the sculpture made me think of the furniture design of the Memphis Group, a group of Italian designers from the 80’s who named their group after the Bob Dylan song “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again”. I am a fan of Dylan’s music, the page is blue and the sculpture includes a mobile. When I wrote Fauve Kaboom, the words came about because the piece reminds me of a wild animal, an urchin or a porcupine, and it also feels as if it is exploding. The French word Fauve means wild animal and is associated with one of my favorite post-impressionist artists, Henri Matisse. The critics did not comprehend his work and felt that his paintings were created by a wild animal. Kaboom is inspired by comic book art and Lichtenstein’s Pop Art. By the way, if you look very carefully you will find Matisse in BLUE 2 and you will find a red dot and the blue numeral 2 in 600 BLACK SPOTS.
I see art as entertainment for the mind and the purpose of my art is to tickle the mind.
My hope is that my art will make you think and chuckle and leave you with a smile on your face. And last but not least, please touch the art.
—David A. Carter
For many years I have collected the bits and pieces of pop-up structures that for one reason or another did not make it into a book but had something about them that appealed to me. The kinetic sculptures in these books began as experiments and evolved into non-representative spontaneous form, like Modern Art, with no intended meaning but simply free form creative expression. For me, these minimalist sculptures represent color, form and whimsy in the purist form. Yet peeking through the purity I have found sub conscience influences. Take for instance Dreaming Elephants Fly from BLUE 2, once this piece was finished it revived memories of the Tinker Toy structures I built for hours on end as a child and in Six Fluttering Flicker Clickers from ONE RED DOT, I recall playing cards in the spokes of my bicycle.
I write the words only after the sculptures are finished and like the Japanese haiku, the words are few but have layers of meaning. In this book, the words Blue Memphis Arisin’ came to mind because the sculpture made me think of the furniture design of the Memphis Group, a group of Italian designers from the 80’s who named their group after the Bob Dylan song “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again”. I am a fan of Dylan’s music, the page is blue and the sculpture includes a mobile. When I wrote Fauve Kaboom, the words came about because the piece reminds me of a wild animal, an urchin or a porcupine, and it also feels as if it is exploding. The French word Fauve means wild animal and is associated with one of my favorite post-impressionist artists, Henri Matisse. The critics did not comprehend his work and felt that his paintings were created by a wild animal. Kaboom is inspired by comic book art and Lichtenstein’s Pop Art. By the way, if you look very carefully you will find Matisse in BLUE 2 and you will find a red dot and the blue numeral 2 in 600 BLACK SPOTS.
I see art as entertainment for the mind and the purpose of my art is to tickle the mind.
My hope is that my art will make you think and chuckle and leave you with a smile on your face. And last but not least, please touch the art.
—David A. Carter
