ART STUDIES | OIL PAINTING
There are times when you crave something new for your walls. You know you can paint, but you don’t want to repeat yourself – you want something fresh and truly “out of the box.” This is where the idea for the artwork, with the working title “polygon,” came to life.
The goal was to create something large and striking, a centerpiece for the living room. Having already created a blue-toned “critter” painting, I had a clear color palette in mind. The only remaining decision was what the piece would depict.
I wanted to challenge the traditional square or rectangular canvas shapes, so I began exploring mathematical shapes and the aesthetic potential they could offer. Eventually, I came across the concept of the “equilateral pentagon,” which appealed to me both visually and mathematically.
Since pentagon-shaped canvases aren’t readily available, I decided to build one myself. After several trials, errors, and adjustments, I managed to assemble the frame and covered it with jute fabric, which was then primed with gesso.
The canvas was now ready, but I still needed an image. After much contemplation, I decided to repeat the pentagonal shape in a slightly varied way, so that the pattern would seemingly continue infinitely. A few test sketches showed that the concept worked. To add a three-dimensional effect between the layers, I modified the surface texture using old dried gesso and texture paste, creating a sense of depth and layering.
The project began in late 2023 and was completed in early 2024, resulting in a painting approximately 115 x 175 cm in size.
Pauli Hirvonen © All Rights Reserved.