Landscape at Greenwich, Dennis Creffield
The artworks of A David Bomberg Legacy – The Sarah Rose Collection are celebrated not only for their visual composition but also for their tactile qualities. Texture, achieved through thick brushstrokes, knife applications, and innovative use of materials, is central to the emotional resonance and dynamic language of the Borough Group's works. This blog explores the role of texture in modernist painting, highlighting the tools, techniques, and philosophies that shaped these vivid creations.
Thick Brushstrokes and the Spirit of the Mass
David Bomberg, a pivotal figure in the collection, emphasized capturing the "spirit in the mass" rather than merely representing forms. His bold use of thick brushstrokes conveyed a physicality and presence that went beyond the surface. This approach allowed Bomberg to imbue his landscapes and portraits with a sense of vitality, where the paint itself seemed to pulse with energy. Bomberg’s students, including Dorothy Mead and Dennis Creffield, inherited and adapted this philosophy, each finding unique ways to translate mass and movement into their works.
Knife Applications and Sculptural Qualities
Several pieces in the collection demonstrate the use of palette knives to create textured, sculptural effects. Knife applications allowed artists to layer paint in a way that produced sharp contrasts and a sense of depth. The tool's versatility enabled both broad, sweeping motions and precise detailing, resulting in works that invited viewers to not only see but almost feel the art. Dorothy Mead’s self-portraits, for instance, often combine dense, tactile layers of paint with subtle color modulations, creating a striking interplay between light and shadow.
Innovative Materials and Techniques
While traditional oil on canvas dominates, many artists in the Borough Group experimented with unconventional materials and methods. Mixed media works in the collection reveal explorations with impasto—a technique where paint is applied so thickly that it stands out from the surface. The ridges and grooves left by brushes or knives catch the light in unexpected ways, adding dynamism and dimensionality to the compositions. These textural experiments reflect the artists’ desire to push boundaries, both technically and conceptually.
Texture as a Visual Language
Texture in modernist painting goes beyond aesthetics; it functions as a language of its own. In Bomberg’s Mountain and Gorge series, for example, the rugged, layered paint evokes the harshness and grandeur of the landscapes he depicted. Similarly, the tactile surfaces in Mead’s works convey a raw emotional intensity, drawing viewers into an intimate dialogue with the piece. Texture becomes a means of storytelling, where every ridge, groove, and stroke holds meaning.
Dennis Creffield: Bridging the Physical and Spiritual
Dennis Creffield, one of Bomberg’s most dedicated students, brought a unique sensitivity to texture in his works. Known for his monumental charcoal drawings of English cathedrals, Creffield’s paintings often explored the interplay of physical structure and spiritual resonance. His thick, gestural brushstrokes and layered paint convey a sense of both solidity and transcendence, capturing the essence of his subjects with a raw, visceral power. Creffield’s commitment to Bomberg’s principles of mass and form is evident in his textured surfaces, which seem to vibrate with energy and emotion, bridging the physical world with the intangible.
Dennis Creffield: Bridging the Physical and Spiritual
Dennis Creffield, one of Bomberg’s most dedicated students, brought a unique sensitivity to texture in his works. Known for his monumental charcoal drawings of English cathedrals, Creffield’s paintings often explored the interplay of physical structure and spiritual resonance. His thick, gestural brushstrokes and layered paint convey a sense of both solidity and transcendence, capturing the essence of his subjects with a raw, visceral power. Creffield’s commitment to Bomberg’s principles of mass and form is evident in his textured surfaces, which seem to vibrate with energy and emotion, bridging the physical world with the intangible.
Tools of Expression
The artists in the collection used a variety of tools to achieve their textured effects. Beyond brushes and palette knives, some works show evidence of fingers, rags, or even experimental tools like combs and sticks. These tools allowed for a direct, visceral connection between the artist and the medium, emphasizing process as much as product. The physicality of these techniques resonates with Bomberg’s belief in the importance of the artist’s presence within the work.
Reclining Nude. Dorothy Mead