Nigel Hall’s art is created by the artist himself, not by a hired painter. While the idea of the artist creating their own work may seem obvious in retrospect, it was unheard-of when Nigel began his career, and has continued to be rare since.
Non-representational art is not simply abstract art; it is a completely new artform that uses different techniques from those of figurative art. It also allows for a radically different kind of message than representational art.
Nigel Hall’s non-representational art creates an entire universe for the viewer to explore and experience differently than they would in everyday life. It presents a vision of reality as seen through the artist’s eyes and mind, rather than through any outside observer’s lens.
The way that Nigel Hall creates his non-representational paintings is like no other artist’s process on Earth. He uses his hands to create both the subject matter and the painting itself, without any tools or materials other than those provided by nature. This gives his work an unrivaled intimacy in which he shares with us who he really is and what he sees in the world around him and within himself.”
Nigel Hall is a self-taught artist who is not afraid to express his point of view in the artistic community. His work has been seen in many galleries and is gaining momentum as he attempts to make his day-to-day life a part of his art.
The name of the blog, nonrepresentational art, is fitting for Nigel’s work as it is one of the few descriptive terms that adequately describes his work. He does not feel that there is anything lacking from the term abstract as it tends to be applied to other artists’ work but feels that it does not fit his own. The blog itself started in 2007 when Nigel was inspired by a discussion with a friend who had become involved with some artists in the local area. It was around this time that Nigel was beginning to experiment with different mediums outside of oil painting and sculpture which he had been working in for some time. That year he created several pieces using experimental paint made from household products and used household items as tools for creating art.
He has since moved away from this experimental phase but continues to post images on his blog of new works, show announcements and other information about himself as well as writing about art, galleries and museums from around the world where his work can be found or where he
“I am not representational” are some of the first words Nigel Hall ever said to me. I was talking to him about his art, which is non-representational. As he said those words, in a strong Liverpudlian accent, he made a gesture with his hands as if he were pushing something away from himself. Since that time I have been fascinated by Nigel and his art.
If you asked Nigel what kind of art he makes, he would tell you it’s non-representational. He is not interested in portraying anything. There are no pictures or images in his work. If you ask him what his art is about, he would tell you it’s about non-representation. The question of whether or not it is successful is irrelevant to him. It’s very successful at being what it is; it just isn’t anything else.
In the West we have come to see representation as primary and representation as the ultimate purpose of all art. Representation has become synonymous with the definition of art itself: “Art” = “Representation”. In terms of its importance in our culture, “Representation” = “God”. We believe that God created the world and everything in it, including us, so we believe that it’s
Nigel Hall creates non-representational art. The pieces are made to be mixed together and arranged in different ways, creating a new piece with each arrangement. His latest collection is called “The Revelation Series”.
Nigel Hall has been creating non-representational art for over twenty years. He studied under Kenneth Noland at the University of Washington, and he also studied at the University of Wisconsin where he met his wife, Jane. Nigel has shown his work in galleries like the New York Academy of Arts and the Seattle Art Museum.
Tate Modern in London recently bought an entire collection of his works for their permanent collection. Nigel regularly exhibits in museums around the world. He lives with Jane and their three children near Seattle where he continues to create new collections of non-representational art.
Painting is a representational art. The most basic principle of representational art is the “atmosphere” principle, which states that a painting must hide the brushstrokes which are used to create the image. This is significant because it means that you see the object depicted, and you see that it is being depicted by a brushstroke, but you do not see the brushstroke itself. Thus, you are able to “suspend your disbelief” and be convinced that what you are looking at is actually a view of some object in a real space.
Nigel Hall’s paintings are not representational according to this definition because he does not hide his brushstrokes. In fact, he tries to put them on display so that they become the subject of his paintings rather than an accidental by-product of his technique. Hall has said of these paintings that they are ‘extreme abstractions’ which attempt to get at the ‘essence’ of painting rather than just imitating it. He also says that they try to emphasise ‘the sensation of seeing’.
This means that Hall’s work cannot be considered a form of abstract art. Abstract art deliberately tries to avoid showing recognisable objects or scenes. Nigel Hall’s work shows recognisable scenes – landscapes, portraits
