Draw a line and follow it Project Page

Draw a line and follow it

A series of conceptual drawings with pen and ink on paper, 2020

CONCEPT:

The main idea for this series of drawings is to relinquish subjective intentionality by following a simple rule, and to allow chance to introduce unexpected variations, so as to unleash the potential of the process. The process is simple: I first generate some random patterns on the paper by splashing liquid, or tearing a part of the paper. Then I carefully trace the edges of the stain or the tear. This produces the first line (or group of lines.) Next, I try to copy the first line as faithfully as I can, focusing on replicating its formal and energetic tendencies. This often entails in drawing the new line that replicates the previous line, while at the same time retaining the same negative space between the lines. Variations introduced by accidents become part of the lines to be copied in the next iteration. e.g. Sometimes the ink dries up and introduces a break in the line. It will be replicated in the next iteration. I repeat this process until the lines reach the four edges of the paper, or I decide to stop.

The process seems to serially amplify the tendencies in the lines. Very often, it acquires a feeling as in a meditation. The resulted images sometimes resemble tree rings, or bodies of water, or mountainous terrains. Most of them carry a feeling of a record of the passing time. Indeed, the time passing during the drawing process is acutely felt since each iteration of the lines takes on average 15 minutes to draw. And despite the relatively small size of these drawings, their scale feels vast. Sometimes it feels like the lines together ‘manifest’ an otherwise invisible energetic field on the paper.

In addition to the drawings based on the process described above, the experiments evolved to other directions:

The Aura Drawings: the initial contour is a recognizable image. The drawing ‘grows’ as its aura.
The Modular Drawings: Several ‘modules’ are first established with the initial boundaries. Then within each module, the same drawing process takes place.
Other conceptual derivatives.
Wall drawings.

See below for sample works in each category.

EXHIBITION HISTORY:

The de Young Open at de Young Museum, San Francisco, October 2020 - January 2021
OSTEN Biennial of Drawing Skopje 2020, Special Jury’s Award, National Gallery of N. Macedonia "Mala Stanica", N. Macedonia, Oct - Dec, 2020
This series of work is included in the book by Haema Sivanesan, “IN THE PRESENT MOMENT: BUDDHISM, CONTEMPORARY ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE”, Figure 1 Publishing Company, 2022. I’m also on the book’s backcover.

PURCHASE:

These drawings and their prints are for sale. Send me a message at the Contact tab.

—— The original concept series ——

#1, pen and ink on paper, 11x8.5” [First in the series. A stain was accidentally left on this page from a wash on the previous page. I traced the edge and repetitively copied the line, including accidental variations.]

#21, pen and ink on colored pastel paper, 16x12”

—— The Aura Drawings ——

The aura of a carnation, pen and ink on paper, 9x12”.

[The pen is frequently dipped in water, which stays on the surface of the pen and randomly drips down to the tip during the drawing, at which point diluting the ink and producing a ‘pool’ in effe — The aura of a carnation, pen and ink on paper, 9x12”. [The pen is frequently dipped in water, which stays on the surface of the pen and randomly drips down to the tip during the drawing, at which point diluting the ink and producing a ‘pool’ in effect. The waviness of the paper is caused by the water and is intentionally preserved.]

Draw a line and follow it inward (The Buddha in me), pen and ink on stock paper, 8.5x11”

[The replication process goes inward to produce this image. I stopped when a figure emerged inside the contour lines. Note the ‘tributary’ effect of the ink sli — Draw a line and follow it inward (The Buddha in me), pen and ink on stock paper, 8.5x11” [The replication process goes inward to produce this image. I stopped when a figure emerged inside the contour lines. Note the ‘tributary’ effect of the ink slightly soaks into the stock paper.]

Picasso light drawing, pen and white ink on black paper, 11 3/4x16 1/2”

Ship at Night. Pen and ink on colored pastel paper with a torn edge, 16x12”

[The torn edge is traced repeatedly. Every 10 blue strokes are followed by a white stroke.] — Ship at Night. Pen and ink on colored pastel paper with a torn edge, 16x12” [The torn edge is traced repeatedly. Every 10 blue strokes are followed by a white stroke.]

—— The Modular Drawings ——

Modular drawing #1, pen and ink on colored pastel paper, 12x16”

[First, thick lines are drawn to define the edges of several models. Then within each module, that line is replicated using the same process.] — Modular drawing #1, pen and ink on colored pastel paper, 12x16” [First, thick lines are drawn to define the edges of several models. Then within each module, that line is replicated using the same process.]

Modular Drawing #3 (Moon River), pen and ink on paper with printed underimage, 8 3/16 x 8 1/4”

[An image is printed on the paper first. It is used to define the structure of the drawing, by dividing the paper into different regions. Then within each — Modular Drawing #3 (Moon River), pen and ink on paper with printed underimage, 8 3/16 x 8 1/4” [An image is printed on the paper first. It is used to define the structure of the drawing, by dividing the paper into different regions. Then within each region, the same line drawing process is applied to create the content by replicating the edge of that region.]

Modular drawing #2 (with rectangles as building blocks), 16x12”

—— The Wall Drawings ——

Wall drawing, marker/brush-n-ink directly on walls, first wall 100x136”, second wall 72x28”

[The smudges at the top of the wall left over from the worker staining the celing, and some stains and uneven paint spots left on the wall over time, are tra — Wall drawing, marker/brush-n-ink directly on walls, first wall 100x136”, second wall 72x28” [The smudges at the top of the wall left over from the worker staining the celing, and some stains and uneven paint spots left on the wall over time, are traced to generate the first lines. Then these lines are replicated using the same process as in the drawings on paper.]

Bedroom wall drawing, marker directly on walls, wall 43x80”,

[There are two nail holes on the wall, plus smudges and shadows. I started with them and applied the same process which resulted in this drawing.] — Bedroom wall drawing, marker directly on walls, wall 43x80”, [There are two nail holes on the wall, plus smudges and shadows. I started with them and applied the same process which resulted in this drawing.]

—— Other conceptual works derived from this idea ——

'Tactile history of mark-making', 9x12”

[I started out with one short line, paying attention to the tactile sensation on the hand when the pen moved on the paper.
Then I tried to draw a second line with a similar sensation.
I repeated the process.] — 'Tactile history of mark-making', 9x12” [I started out with one short line, paying attention to the tactile sensation on the hand when the pen moved on the paper. Then I tried to draw a second line with a similar sensation. I repeated the process.]

The Foolish Old Man Moving a mountain, one shovel at a time. 9x12”

[愚公移山 is a Chinese Fable. Allegedly, 愚公 The Foolish Old Man, lives with his family behind a tall mountain, which blocks his house from the outside world. So he decides to move the mo — The Foolish Old Man Moving a mountain, one shovel at a time. 9x12” [愚公移山 is a Chinese Fable. Allegedly, 愚公 The Foolish Old Man, lives with his family behind a tall mountain, which blocks his house from the outside world. So he decides to move the mountain, one shovel at a time. People laugh at him, saying he’d never be able to move the mountain, to which he replies, I might not be able to move the whole mountain myself. But when I pass, my sons will continue the work. And when they pass, their sons will continue. Eventually, the mountain will be moved. This drawing is done with a pen, one thin line at a time, building up the mass over time. It alludes to a way of creation that’s focused on details, extremely slow and refined, culminating in a result that’s unexpectedly substantive.]

Ink Transfer, 8 1/8x7”

[Starting with a new pen, I continuously draw lines on the paper till the ink runs out, effectively transferring the ink to the paper.] — Ink Transfer, 8 1/8x7” [Starting with a new pen, I continuously draw lines on the paper till the ink runs out, effectively transferring the ink to the paper.]

Me and my self, computer print on paper, paper size 8 1/2x7”, image size 1x1pixel

[I took a picture of a plain piece of paper. Then the picture is compressed to one pixel and printed back on the same piece of paper.] — Me and my self, computer print on paper, paper size 8 1/2x7”, image size 1x1pixel [I took a picture of a plain piece of paper. Then the picture is compressed to one pixel and printed back on the same piece of paper.]

— — Bed, Bath and Breakfast ——

This is a video work from before. It’s conceptually similar to this series of drawings.

Performance video, 1'51, with sound, 2010

An existential take on a routine in my daily life: going from bedroom to bathroom to dining room. I experimented to see if mindfulness would help my body remember its experiences. I first took a regular walk in the house. Then I attempted to walk the same path in a manner and pace that would be as close to the first walk as I could. If I tripped the first time, I would try to trip in the same way the second time. Then I repeated this for a third time. I walked with a video camera. Surprisingly, the three walks came within one second from each other!