Laurie Lax

Working with drawing, video, performance and installation, I explore the visual and physical dynamic in between the reality of experiencing nature, and representations of it.

Passive travel on a train, car or plane, is a constant source of inspiration in my viewing of the landscape. Whilst being in motion, my views of the natural world appear as abstractions where relationships between time and space become distorted. Walking and cycling provide a different level of engagement, they allow for more personal encounters with my surroundings. In both scenarios, I set up opportunities with my camera to discover incidental moments, where seemingly unchanging scenes can offer variation possibly missed by casual observation. By internalising these moments through mark-making, their importance is elevated through time and compositional choice.

Currently, I am exploring parallels in the process of both drawing and video. Drawing can be as much about omission as what is left on the paper. Video shares this trait when used as a viewfinder, with a fixed frame or tracking shot, I leave out more than what is presented in the final picture. Time is another shared aspect where video records ‘real time’ to achieve representation, drawing abstracts time to achieve likeness. I am seeking an interplay between these two transferable qualities within drawing and video, offering a quiet enquiry into the levels of engagement with nature through representation.

You can see more of Laurie’s work by visiting her website… laurielax.co.uk