X-i 2010

Taylor cites the most powerful influences on his artworks as being the artists Francis Bacon, Antonio Saura, Egon Schiele and Joel-Peter Witkin.  Schiele was more evident when Taylor was in his early twenties and experimenting with figurative drawing and painting. 

It was also the period of his figurative and abstract sculptures, the latter were large outdoor pieces created from concrete and steel.  And then Taylor moved into his unique abstract art painting period. 

In this year he decided to return to portraiture photography as part of his oeuvre.  He has started with a transition series, X-i, which shows the artist´s head in real x-ray pictures of himself that have been processed with computer photoshop software.

To continue his abstract technique of panels dividing the muse or metaphysical subject, he divides the anatomy of his skull into diptychs, triptychs and polyptyches. With his characteristic humour, the final photo N°8 is a conversation with himself, where a party of three heads seemingly discuss a convivial subject.

He mentions the macabre and disturbing “processed” photos of Joel-Peter Witkin, an American artist known for his scratching of photographic negatives and surrealist scenes shown in daguerreotype type “shots” of transsexuals and dwarves, the “freaks” of society, as Diane Arbus photographed them too.

However Taylor says he deliberately creates images of happiness and light, consciously not wishing to step over to the dark and macabre.  Witkin is the only exception in terms of “negative” artists he admires, as well as the “darker” paintings of Bacon.  Taylor again is himself an exception in that he chooses to avoid the ever recurring artistic trends of showing disturbing rather than uplifting scenes and metaphysical subjects.

In the Artists´ Own Words:  

SO AFTER THE SPEED, THE PURE ENERGY, THE MOVEMENT INSIDE THE MOVEMENT... I ARRIVED AT X-I.... MY INSIDE... MY INSIDE ENERGY BASED ON AN ALIVE SUBJECT.... LIFE - ENERGY - MOVEMENT...

AND I ARRIVED TO LDN AND BRL PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION....... URBAN.... SURROUNDING.. CITY... MEGA CITY.... MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ENERGY.....

A TOTAL MIX OF RESPIRATION - DREAMING - EARTH TRIP AND X-I..... AND ALL MY CITIES PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS WILL REFLECT THOSE SPECIAL CONNECTIONS....