Looking at these Elizabeth Atterbury lithographs, I was initially convinced that the various vegetation were the focal points of these pieces, which is still true to a degree. Sifting through the images further however, I noticed the silhouette of a talon on a tree bark and realized what Atterbury had done: she erased the images of birds from existing lithographs to create this perplexing series.
Though Elizabeth Atterbury was meticulous, viewers can still faintly make out the shape of each avian creature, which ultimately adds charm to her work. Viewers have to use their imaginations to envision where and what each bird looks like in the blank spaces, producing mental pictures that I’m sure are vastly more interesting than the original renderings. Who knew the phrase “addition by subtraction” could be demonstrated pragmatically?
What's Driving This Trend
- Erased Art
- Opportunity for artists to use negative space in a compelling and innovative way to create thought-provoking pieces.
- Imagination-based Art
- Opportunity for artists to challenge viewers to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps of erased subjects in order to create a personal and engaging experience.
- Interactive Art
- Opportunity for artists to create pieces that require the viewer to actively engage with the work in order to fully appreciate the meaning behind it.
Who This Affects Most
- Fine Arts
- Opportunity for the fine arts industry to embrace and showcase innovative techniques that push the boundaries of traditional art forms.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Opportunity for marketers and advertisers to use erasure and negative space in their branding campaigns to create visually striking and memorable advertisements.
- Entertainment
- Opportunity for the entertainment industry to create interactive experiences that require the audience to actively participate in order to shape the narrative.
