Imi Williams's paintings evoke Georgia O'Keeffe's organic abstractions – cascade and recess equalising into stillness and movement. Veils of colour are laid over each other with precision and instinct: concealing and revealing, maintaining translucency, achieving a luminous depth.
Artist statement
My paintings are built from a contemplative process of layering led by colour interplay. The process is slow and intermittent and the surface of the canvas goes through many transitions before forming the final piece. The unexpected moments resulting from layers overlapping and interacting are what bring life to the work. I let each layer dry before applying more paint, giving me time to observe, reflect and let the works evolve gradually. My decisions are intuitive, based on what I feel needs more and what should be left alone, so there is a constant tension between freedom and restraint.
I am mesmerised by how pigments respond to one another, how they melt together or sit in contrast. My palette consists of vivid, saturated colours and soft, pale hues that carry a dreamlike quality. The way the colours interact creates a surface that is always shifting. I play with varying opacities but translucency is central to the work; the areas where light comes through and early layers are visible allow breathing space amongst the more built-up areas. Paint is applied in thin veils and I often wipe away what has been applied to uncover prior brush marks, creating a dialogue between past and present states. My brushwork is methodical as I primarily use flat, wide brushes that drag pigment across the canvas in smooth, prolonged motions. This results in the work being meditative and delicate, while retaining a playful quality.
