The Linocuts

Linocuts from six series are illustrated. Click on the titles to see the images.

From the World Trade Center 2002
Manhattan 2002
City of London 2002
Around Harlech 2003
Flight over Clevedon 2005
Harlech Skies 2006

Somewhere in his diaries, the late theatre critic Kenneth Tynan passes on a comment made to him that “the realisation that what you are doing has huge limitations is in itself intensely liberating”. I find this comment helpful.

In these linocuts, I have used one colour (black), two formats (either 20x22cm, or 20x30cm) and mostly just one kind of cutting tool. Within these constraints, I have attempted a variety of image.

Linocutting is sometimes seen as a low-tech activity. It is, in fact, one of the most unforgiving and unfudgeable media for image-making (even more so than watercolour). Every step counts, everything finally shows; post-printing modifications are impossible. It is sometimes necessary to repeat a block many times before an image ‘comes out right’ and even then one never knows in advance exactly how it’s going to turn out.

These linocuts are obviously studio-based but are derived from drawings made on-site, outside. I prefer to work in series: Manhattan, City of London, Deptford Creek, Whitstable Harbour, Around Harlech, Flight over Clevedon and so on. In this way I can somehow get better ‘dug in’.

Cuillin Bantock

Copyright 2006. All rights reserved.