Alan Falk


	Alan Falk Oxford, Conneticuit
		Listen to this artist. (AU 80K)
		E-mail this artist at alanefalk@aol.com.

In 1988 I embarked on a series of western landscapes and 'wilderness' paintings based upon several trips I made to Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. These studies, initially void of the figure, formed the basis for a series of works which dealt with self discovery and spiritual challenge. These works became highly introspective, rich with symbolic content, mythology and personal history. I reintroduced the figure as a metaphor of my quest, or sometimes representing spiritual manifestations. At the same time as this series progressed, I was becoming familiar with the computer and began to realize the potential for expanding ideas, imagination and vision and to create images that would not be possible to fully express in traditional painting terms. The use of photography as a primary tool for recording and collecting my imagery seemed a logical and natural process, as I have used it for a number of years. I work with photography as a source for recording my observations. I go 'on location' armed with a sketchbook and camera. The camera records the details, while the sketches and notes record my emotional responses.

The current images are for the most part based upon mythologies, biblical stories, poems and other literary sources. The themes expressed in these works mirror my own interests and concerns dealing with a wide range of topics - the human struggle to understand self, life, love, death and beyond . The literary sources are merely starting off points for my visual pursuits.

My work has always been involved with the history of art in some form or another, either through transcriptions, study or incorporating themes and concepts. When I began producing digital art my most important criteria were keeping the integrity of my personal vision, while producing an art form that was fluid and seamless and unlike preconceived notions of 'computer art' (impersonal, shiny and hard-edged). This, combined with my art history interests formed the 'look' of these works. In what seems a contradiction, this high-tech ÔimpersonalÕ medium has helped me create highly 'personal' poetic visions in innovative ways.

"The Hollow Men #5" is part of a recently-completed set of works based upon the T.S. Eliot poem of the same name. Eliot wrote the poem in five segments, and my series follows the same format, resulting in five images.