Hard:Rewired1
Hard:Rewired is a reactionary creation of artwork that I was compelled to do after being bitten by a dog. I found refuge in executing a more aggressive approach using the medium of paper and wood. The style is reminiscent of Basquiat’s heavy-handed graffiti marks and Cy Twombly’s whimsical yet restrained scratches.
As my arm healed, a disturbing unease settled into my being. A deepness rose within me that was horrible with discontent. I am torn inside. I found solace in reading “Molecules of Emotion” by Dr. Candace Pert, a neuroscientist whose seminal work in opiate receptors brought together science and spirit. Her thoughts and words found a path into my drawings. My hand and fingers move in what is known as automatic drawing, derived from the subconscious mind and body.
These works are the first drawings or paintings that I have signed with my newly adopted Chinese name of 葉灃, rather than Norm Yip, as if forging a new life or new character into being.