Art Navigation | Carl Middleton

In Your Dreams

A cycle of words, language and understanding. This work interprets and re-presents ‘spoken word’ (as described in a dictionary) outside our normal methods of information processing. The medium and process of making qualify a secondary layer inhibiting our normal unconscious relationship to reading and understanding.

Hand incised lettering cut into Blue Lias / 500 x 600mm / edition: one

Available to purchase directly from Close or via their on-line shop: https://www.closeltd.com/close-shop

Social Texture

A typo/graphic composition of antique wood and metal letters over-printed on hand carved linoleum blocks. The statement written in two layers relates to the act and bi-products of typography as social texture – an original statement written by Robin Kinross.

Three colour composition – hand printed on 300 gsm paper / 500 x 300mm / edition: six.

Nihil De Nobis, Sine Nobis

Part of a series of works based on hand painted placards used in public protests. The slogan is used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the group(s) affected by that policy.

Single colour composition – hand pressed on 300gsm paper / 600 x 800mm / In an edition of: twenty-five.

Available to purchase directly from Close or via their on-line shop: https://www.closeltd.com/close-shop

Read My Lips

Typo/graphic composition interleaving layers of textual matter and image to generate an unnavigable visual resonance. The textual layers interplay dictionary definitions of the words art, design, poster and picture.

Five colour composition – hand pressed on 300gsm paper / 510 x 760mm / edition: twelve.

One Day The Poor Will Have Nothing Left To Eat But The Rich

A re-configured textual treatment of a quote attributed to one of the leading figures of the French Revolution – Jean Jacques Rossaeau “When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.” Adopted in more recent times as a protest placard in demonstrations about the widening gap between the rich and poor of New York.

Single colour composition – hand printed on 300gsm paper / 400 x 500mm / open edition.

Available to purchase directly from Close or via their on-line shop: https://www.closeltd.com/close-shop

Harmony, Resolution, Complete

Contemporary letterpress always struggles with the component parts needed to complete each print. In this instance, the missing letters are replaced by upturned ones of the same width – so completing the composition, but rendering its navigation uncomfortable for the reader.

Single colour composition – hand printed on 100gsm trace / 210 x 297mm / edition: three.

60.6 x 30.3

Printed composition generated from a range of different base materials. The title refers to the number of components making up the work – two thirds metal and one third in wood.

Two colour composition – hand printed on 300gsm paper / 510 x 760mm / edition: twelve.

Fear

A muti-layered graphic composition – listing a range of phrases relating to the emotion of fear. The texts originate from the Bible, German folklore through to nursery rhymes.

Six colour composition – hand pressed on 250gsm fluorescent paper / 550 x 700mm / edition: three.

Love, Life and Loss

Dictionary definitions set with uncomfortable inter-word and inter-letter spacing. The fully justified texts resonate with layouts adopted in hand written manuscript. The graphic treatment reduces the navigation of its contents, readability and legibility. Set by hand in metal type using three different sizes of Perpetua.

Single colour composition – hand pressed on 150gsm black sugar paper / 297 x 420mm / edition: nine.

Expression

Reverse printed composition on newsprint – the juxtaposition of the original base changes per pressing. The textual composition remains in the same position with the printed page is rotated for application of the second colour of ink.

Two colour hand printed composition on used newsprint / 600 x 800mm / edition: four.

Absence and Presence

Using letterpress spacing material (reglets) belonging to the poet Ted Hughes – this composition tracks the silence between words. The wooden reglets are not designed to be printed, and had to be packed to form and impression on the press. The strips of wood, when inked display the marks left by the printing process.

Single colour composition, hand pressed on 200gsm sugar paper / 300 x 400mm / edition: twelve.

Seven / Nine

Single colour relief print composed of both metal and wood elements. The subtle hand inking showcases the patina of both grain and casting between the wood and metal elements.

Single colour composition – hand pressed on 300gsm paper / 297 x 420mm / edition: six.