PAUL MONCRIEFF

From my early days as an art student [circa 1971], and consequent discovery of the modernist project, I have felt a connection to the FORMAL aspects of studio art practice. Many twentieth century artists have been intrigued with the possibilities of materials, their use and how various physical boundaries can be challenged. This is an unbroken lineage through to the 21st century, and on into the future.

I have distilled my practice into bare bones of the visual – systems of form, colour, repetition. I am equally concerned with the presentation and how the work interacts with the architectural space. Increasingly this has developed into an intrigue with the 3 dimension, a continuum of the assemblages that have been developed within the studio.

I tend to work with a variety of plywoods, and this industrial material allows me to reproduce ideas and designs with the simple application of table saw and contemporary fixing systems. I also will sometimes juxtapose the painted plywood panels with aged and distressed materials – timber and occasionally found metals.

“The acrylic colours, bold and manufactured, precisely applied atop a white undercoat, provide a stark contrast to the natural textures and tones of ply wood. Its knots and movement showcasing an origin story, when combined with synthetic materials, enchant and enhance the other. The audience is left leaning in and out, oscillating between dimensions as they move between artworks through the space. Reaching out toward the audience, the form of even the two dimensional pieces leap forward, toward the viewer, repelling the wall it hangs on.

Moncrieff’s complimentary approach to colour and form, a continuation of the Modernist project, makes this a simply complex body of work to experience.” – TESS, via Instagram.

Moncrieff has been exhibiting since 1978 in various gallery locations in Perth, regional WA and also on occasion in the Eastern States. In this time, he has presented 30 solo, and innumerable group exhibitions. His paintings, drawings and prints are now part of a considerable number of major public and private Australian art collections. He has also curated several exhibitions, at Perth and Albany.

He has previously had a career in university education, lecturing in the area of Painting, Drawing and printmaking Studios, at Edith Cowan University and Curtin University, PERTH WA.

Paul Moncrieff peripheral 6333

2023

Mixed – various found objects/recycled timber

“Since 2010, my practice has evolved into the concrete, the non-objective object, non-figurative formalism. Using utilitarian workable plywood, timber supports, and pre mixed colours of acrylic paint I have assembled many varieties of hard-edged compositions. All work is constructed according to a self-imposed system of size and shape and assembled to offer a suggestion of the seemingly infinite possibilities within this system. The colours are used to compliment the built geometric shapes.”

“You should never underestimate the power of simple shapes…geometry.” –Kevin McCloud 5th June 2016. Grand Designs Irish House programme.