This is Never Just This
Sean Landers
Landers’ use of words in paintings derives directly from his enthusiasm for Surrealism. In particular, his language paintings reflect Landers’ interest in “automatic writing,” a Surrealist practice of rapidly transcribing anything that comes to mind in order to short-circuit self-consciousness and access the workings of the subconscious. In making pieces such as This Is Never Just This, Landers begins with no plan or composition, intent on writing directly on the canvas whatever thoughts comes to mind. When the canvas is filled to a degree he finds visually satisfying, the painting is done.
To avoid censoring his thoughts as he paints, Landers puts down everything, then later paints over anything too wounding or potentially damaging to make public, layering word upon word and thought upon thought until the result is a clotted tangle, much like the overwrought ruminations of the mind itself. This method allows him to accept his initial thoughts regardless of how absurd or self-destructive they may be. Equally important to Landers, it also preserves them in the work– if in a hidden state–while still protecting both the artist himself and whoever else might be involved.
To avoid censoring his thoughts as he paints, Landers puts down everything, then later paints over anything too wounding or potentially damaging to make public, layering word upon word and thought upon thought until the result is a clotted tangle, much like the overwrought ruminations of the mind itself. This method allows him to accept his initial thoughts regardless of how absurd or self-destructive they may be. Equally important to Landers, it also preserves them in the work– if in a hidden state–while still protecting both the artist himself and whoever else might be involved.