Albert Oehlen, Untitled, 2007 | Christopher Wool, Untitled (No Halloween), 2003 (details)
Presenting one painting by each of the artists Albert Oehlen, Christopher Wool and Wade Guyton RUNTIME ERROR brings together different explorations of three painters approach to new technologies, creating computer processed paintings.
In these bodies of work the artists challenge the traditional perception of a painter’s practice by making use of computer softwares to ‘paint’. Exploring the possibility of painting with digital means, but also questioning the limits and failures of technology.
In the 1990s Albert Oehlen pioneered the use of computers and basic software to make his 'computer paintings'. Pushing the software to its limits the artist creates what he terms as a 'data overload', using computer generated designs, printed on paper, subsequently transferred to the canvas and enhanced with paint. On loan for the exhibition Untitled 2007 is a large scale example of that series and is realised in the iconic black and white style of the very first 1990s computer paintings by Oehlen.
Christopher Wool re-appropriated his previous creative output by photographing paintings and transposing them digitally as silkscreen on canvas, creating new independent works sometimes altering them with photoshop. Rarely exhibited before Untitled 2003 is a key example of Wool’s exploration, re-using a previous painting and digitally reimagining the composition in different colour tones.
Wade Guyton’s practice has a primary focus on digital technology making use of a desktop computer, scanner and printer. Following Oehlen and Wool’s pioneering works in the digital age, Guyton’s purposeful misuse of these tools enhances the failures and turns them in beautiful accidents by printing TIFF files through Epson ultrachrome printers.