By
Cory Hunter
Piece description from the artist
The cherry blossom has been a symbol of so much, to so many, for thousands of years. For me, painting this recognizable form allows a degree of freedom in expression, in that each viewer recognizes it subjectively. The use of a classical oriental style allows an emphasis on the negative space, which compliments the subtle features of the colors blending in the blossoms and tree bark. These affects are done aleatorically, which is to say that I let the paint mix on its own using high medium-pigment ratios.
The dark, burn patterns are done with high-voltage electricity, which creates fractal patterns in the corrugated fiberboard. This is a natural phenomenon where "Lichtenberg Figures" are produced as a result of high-voltage electrocution. Each painting is done in gouache so that when I perform the electrocution process I can spray the painting with a saltwater solution, causing the gouache to reconstitute, thus becoming the conductive medium through which the electricity passes.
Because the electrocution process can make the cardboard warped and frail, the painting has been fixed to wood— its sides sealed with an acrylic/silicone mixture— and coated with an archival varnish. This will preserve the gouache paint, and ensure that the painting will remain in good condition.
Cory Hunter is an artist from Miami, Florida, who works at the intersection of art and science. He describes his main motivation as “capturing the creative moment;” rather than creating an image, the intent of the work is to translate the psychographic energy of his movements, while allowing the physical properties of the medium to shape the resulting compositions. In this way, his work can be explained as aleatoric, for a portion of the creative process is left to chance.
Cory’s art is an exploration of how spontaneity is at once random and uniform, given the principles of fractal geometry. Stylistically, his work is a blend of classical oriental watercolor with contemporary pop art and abstract expressionism. His use of gouache paint allows for strong, striking, color combination, but maintains a delicate feel. Though the subject matter of his works varies, he explains that using recognizable iconography encourages a subjective interpretation.
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