The Swerve: The Elliot Collins Handbook

Abstract

‘Swerve’ implies a divergence from a straight path into a world of free associations and organic growth. Lucretius’ poem The Nature of Things, refers to the arrangement of atoms in the universe, “Being mere shifting combinations of atoms, this world and the other worlds are not eternal”.

My work continues to swerve rather than come to a point of conclusion. Like the Japanese rock garden the work is an analogy to be thought upon. However the Zen, meditative state-of-mind has been jettisoned in favour of the impression of the clunky dumping ground of an artist who chooses to work through ideas out loud. Obvious brushwork, found objects, failed attempts at emulating others, antagonistic elements and colloquial language are the means by which my system of ‘placeholders’, ‘punctuation’ and arrangements is put in place. Rather than looking out and laughing at others I have tried to initiate a way of thinking by laughing at myself. The following essay locates my relaxed behaviour around making, thinking about and displaying art as a rigorous method.