Mixed media on corrugated cardboard triptych.
Sized 118.9cm x 252.3cm (46.8 inches x 99.3 inchs)
Each of the 3 panels is "A0" sized, 118.9cm x 84.1cm).
Novel Artworks
Novel Artworks are mixed media triptychs, incorporating collage, paint and pencil. Each contains the text of a full-length novel within the images. All pictures contain stories. These pictures are literally (!) made of stories.
To fit the words in, the text is arranged into 3 columns per page and all indentation for paragraphs etc., are removed.
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Themes
Showing a whole novel "all at once" is based on the idea that there is no linear time and everything is happening simultaneously. In this way, viewers can shift (through time) to different "moments" within the story.
"Novel Artworks" are largely about challenging the notion of linear time. Showing everything "all at once". In an eternal singular moment. All three of Steve's novels explore this idea in their own way.
In The Airplane, there are "time windows" where past and future events can be witnessed and in the case of future events, potentially altered.
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Physicality
The circles contain a present a motif for the novel. For The Airplane, the image of the clock is used. (For "Fireworks" it is stars, for "Social Wallpaper it is butterflies). These motifs were hand-cut from printed coloured papers and arranged by Steve during several months of painstaking application (!).
The (sideways 8) infinity sign loops in and out of the circle motifs, giving the work movement and perspective (on what is essentially a flat surface) and reinforcing the idea that to have "infinity" with no beginning or end, all events must be occurring within a singular moment.
The coloured drips of paint introduce "random" elements into the work, as a counterpoint to the concepts of destiny and anti-freewill predeterminism.
Standing back, the text virtually vanishes so the artwork is experienced as it illustrative parts. Going closer, the text emerges, as well as the details included between the text blocks. These are collaged shapes, and muted geometrical shapes and patterns.
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The Airplane
The Airplane has a main text of 84207 words and an abridged version of 5893 words running in feinter and larger text running along underneath the main.
Work began in 2015 and enjoyed several versions before this one, dated 2018.
The blurb reads: The Airplane: This is a comedy coming-of-age sci-fi (ish) ghost story terror plot family saga thing. There are anti-hero alcoholics, anxiety-riddled heroines and an old cop just trying to save the world. What could possibly go wrong?
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