Craig Hoeksema

BFA Artist Statement

April, 2006

Thematically speaking, my work is rather disparate, but it does have some unifying formal characteristics. Most noticeably, the material of graphite and the process I have developed for applying and polishing it has recurred in most of my work. What I find most interesting about graphite is it's ranging qualities of surface, texture, perceived density, and luminosity and reflectivity. I enjoy the many different ways that forms can be made with graphite and how subtle these marks can become - sometimes becoming invisible unless viewed at a particular angle.  

The content of my work is quite diverse; ranging from figurative subject matter to abstract forms to minimal and conceptual work. Lately, I have been working with industrial forms; drawing them in abstracted arrangements on panels or photographs. I think that the dark and metallic quality of graphite lends itself well to this subject matter, as does the meticulous buffing process I use to make the panels. Another level of interest for me, however, is what happens to an image when certain information, initially provided, is covered. In both the photo work and the paintings, I have made abstract forms which partially conceal, but relate to, what is behind it. I would like to prompt the viewer to search for what is hidden or barely visible.

In another recent body of work, I am dealing with the conventional understanding of image making and the pictorial plane. I have created dense monochrome panels that, similar to the historic precedent, create a heavy illusion of depth within its frame, while also calling attention to the object's surface. Furthermore, the recessed sides of the panels reflect colored light onto the wall behind it, making the wall as much a part of the painting as the panel itself. Certain aspects of this work allude to ancient Greek notions of aesthetic purity and the Renaissance tradition of the pictorial frame.