Direct print on aluminium, wood, acrylic paint, acrylic varnish, brass handle
36 x 24 x 6 cm
“The text of this piece was lifted from an old church somewhere in the Occitane in the south of France. I copied and pasted the ‘merci’s to emphasise a general sense of gratitude. I am not a Christian but I like visiting churches and lighting candles in remembrance to those I have lost. My favourite churches are these small, almost forgotten ones, in areas where there is no longer a large enough population, nor sense of belief, to sustain them. I think it says something about our age. I’m not sure if it says something good or bad, it just reflects the change in our society, rural areas are increasingly empty and we have collectively lost our faith. It probably had something to do with television and then the internet. Either way I like to go in and make an effort just for the building’s sake, and even though I’m not a believer, going through the motions feels like a balm for the soul. ”
Jack Burton (b.1988, Barry, South Wales) lives and works in Brussels, Belgium. He is the studio assistant to Anselm Kiefer. His works can loosely be described as paintings, though they include a multi-media approach that includes both photography and collage. Influenced by movements such as pop, expressionism, abstract and street art, he merges each of these media within individual works to create an image where each jostles for primacy, and where the perceptions and expectations of each is also disrupted.
