Mark Youd
“Study for a Fragment I (Third State)” – Drypoint, 40x30cm.
These studies are an opportunity for me to experiment with the printmaking techniques of etching. The prints bridge the gap between my initial idea and starting a painting. Drawing allows me to answer compositional questions and is essential for me to understand the line, shape and volume of my subject.
Mark Youd
“Fragment XLVIII” – Oil on canvas, 100x75cm.
The Fragments series attempts, by the deconstruction of the portrait, to explore what lies beyond the physical and the individual, to discover what is essentially and universally human.
If we strip-away all that is unnecessary for our existence we would be left with nothing but the earth we stand on, and so the landscape is an integral part of this work. From the textures of rock and bark and the restricted palette of earth colours, to the vigorous technique of scraping the painted and sculpted surface with sandpaper and knives calling to mind the processes of erosion and corrosion, these figures are inseparable from their environment.
I’m not a traditional portrait artist, I’m not trying to describe a certain person, rather I’m interested in humanity in general, therefore very few of my paintings and sculptures include eyes, which would immediately tie the work to an individual.
The portrait is further abstracted, sometimes with a sense of fluidity, examining the effect of motion on the face, other times in a geometric fashion, suggestive of the broken reclics of ancient civilisations. However, by ensuring that the subject has a sense of volume, weight and substance, I hope that what is revealed by deconstructing the portrait might be just as tangible.
The viewer is encouraged to look beyond the surface features, to continue the process of stripping-away the unnecessary and consider ideas of mental health, identity, spirituality, the soul and our connection with the earth. The fragmentation of the portrait is sometimes uncomfortable because it deals with the fragility of existence.
Mark Youd
“Fragment XLVII” – Oil on canvas, 100x75cm.
The Fragments series attempts, by the deconstruction of the portrait, to explore what lies beyond the physical and the individual, to discover what is essentially and universally human.
If we strip-away all that is unnecessary for our existence we would be left with nothing but the earth we stand on, and so the landscape is an integral part of this work. From the textures of rock and bark and the restricted palette of earth colours, to the vigorous technique of scraping the painted and sculpted surface with sandpaper and knives calling to mind the processes of erosion and corrosion, these figures are inseparable from their environment.
I’m not a traditional portrait artist, I’m not trying to describe a certain person, rather I’m interested in humanity in general, therefore very few of my paintings and sculptures include eyes, which would immediately tie the work to an individual.
The portrait is further abstracted, sometimes with a sense of fluidity, examining the effect of motion on the face, other times in a geometric fashion, suggestive of the broken reclics of ancient civilisations. However, by ensuring that the subject has a sense of volume, weight and substance, I hope that what is revealed by deconstructing the portrait might be just as tangible.
The viewer is encouraged to look beyond the surface features, to continue the process of stripping-away the unnecessary and consider ideas of mental health, identity, spirituality, the soul and our connection with the earth. The fragmentation of the portrait is sometimes uncomfortable because it deals with the fragility of existence.
Mark Youd
“Fragment XLVI” – Oil on canvas, 100x75cm.
The Fragments series attempts, by the deconstruction of the portrait, to explore what lies beyond the physical and the individual, to discover what is essentially and universally human.
If we strip-away all that is unnecessary for our existence we would be left with nothing but the earth we stand on, and so the landscape is an integral part of this work. From the textures of rock and bark and the restricted palette of earth colours, to the vigorous technique of scraping the painted and sculpted surface with sandpaper and knives calling to mind the processes of erosion and corrosion, these figures are inseparable from their environment.
I’m not a traditional portrait artist, I’m not trying to describe a certain person, rather I’m interested in humanity in general, therefore very few of my paintings and sculptures include eyes, which would immediately tie the work to an individual.
The portrait is further abstracted, sometimes with a sense of fluidity, examining the effect of motion on the face, other times in a geometric fashion, suggestive of the broken reclics of ancient civilisations. However, by ensuring that the subject has a sense of volume, weight and substance, I hope that what is revealed by deconstructing the portrait might be just as tangible.
The viewer is encouraged to look beyond the surface features, to continue the process of stripping-away the unnecessary and consider ideas of mental health, identity, spirituality, the soul and our connection with the earth. The fragmentation of the portrait is sometimes uncomfortable because it deals with the fragility of existence.
Mark Youd
“Cast XXXI’ – Ink monotype on glass + shadow on card, 30×22.5cm
Further experiments using traditional techniques in unconventional ways have resulted in the Cast series.
The single, continuous, rapidly drawn line appears suspended, and the shadow it casts encourages the viewer to look beyond the surface, behind the mask.
Mark Youd
“Cast XXIX’ – Ink monotype on glass + shadow on card, 30×22.5cm
Further experiments using traditional techniques in unconventional ways have resulted in the Cast series.
The single, continuous, rapidly drawn line appears suspended, and the shadow it casts encourages the viewer to look beyond the surface, behind the mask.
Mark Youd
“Cast XXIII’ – Ink monotype on glass + shadow on card, 30×22.5cm
Further experiments using traditional techniques in unconventional ways have resulted in the Cast series.
The single, continuous, rapidly drawn line appears suspended, and the shadow it casts encourages the viewer to look beyond the surface, behind the mask.
Mark Youd
“Fragment XLIV” – Bronze & Limestone, 20cm long, edition of 3.
The Fragments series attempts, by the deconstruction of the portrait, to explore what lies beyond the physical and the individual, to discover what is essentially and universally human.
If we strip-away all that is unnecessary for our existence we would be left with nothing but the earth we stand on, and so the landscape is an integral part of this work. From the textures of rock and bark and the restricted palette of earth colours, to the vigorous technique of scraping the painted and sculpted surface with sandpaper and knives calling to mind the processes of erosion and corrosion, these figures are inseparable from their environment.
I’m not a traditional portrait artist, I’m not trying to describe a certain person, rather I’m interested in humanity in general, therefore very few of my paintings and sculptures include eyes, which would immediately tie the work to an individual.
The portrait is further abstracted, sometimes with a sense of fluidity, examining the effect of motion on the face, other times in a geometric fashion, suggestive of the broken reclics of ancient civilisations. However, by ensuring that the subject has a sense of volume, weight and substance, I hope that what is revealed by deconstructing the portrait might be just as tangible.
The viewer is encouraged to look beyond the surface features, to continue the process of stripping-away the unnecessary and consider ideas of mental health, identity, spirituality, the soul and our connection with the earth. The fragmentation of the portrait is sometimes uncomfortable because it deals with the fragility of existence.
Mark Youd
“Fragment XLII” – Oil on board, 40x30cm.
The Fragments series attempts, by the deconstruction of the portrait, to explore what lies beyond the physical and the individual, to discover what is essentially and universally human.
If we strip-away all that is unnecessary for our existence we would be left with nothing but the earth we stand on, and so the landscape is an integral part of this work. From the textures of rock and bark and the restricted palette of earth colours, to the vigorous technique of scraping the painted and sculpted surface with sandpaper and knives calling to mind the processes of erosion and corrosion, these figures are inseparable from their environment.
I’m not a traditional portrait artist, I’m not trying to describe a certain person, rather I’m interested in humanity in general, therefore very few of my paintings and sculptures include eyes, which would immediately tie the work to an individual.
The portrait is further abstracted, sometimes with a sense of fluidity, examining the effect of motion on the face, other times in a geometric fashion, suggestive of the broken reclics of ancient civilisations. However, by ensuring that the subject has a sense of volume, weight and substance, I hope that what is revealed by deconstructing the portrait might be just as tangible.
The viewer is encouraged to look beyond the surface features, to continue the process of stripping-away the unnecessary and consider ideas of mental health, identity, spirituality, the soul and our connection with the earth. The fragmentation of the portrait is sometimes uncomfortable because it deals with the fragility of existence.
Mark Youd
“Cast XIII’ – Ink monotype on glass + shadow on card, 30×22.5cm
Further experiments using traditional techniques in unconventional ways have resulted in the Cast series.
The single, continuous, rapidly drawn line appears suspended, and the shadow it casts encourages the viewer to look beyond the surface, behind the mask.