The world has erupted in such a loud and angry blaze that it’s no surprise that a new vibe has emerged – aspirational boredom. Glass explores how the world of art and culture has taken it on board.
If Roche’s work is an indie film, then London-based artist Christabel Blackburn’s is more big budget Hollywood. In her vibrant and smooth canvases we observe people climbing stairs, leaving bathrooms, texting while walking. Blackburn describes herself as “hyper-observant. I am always curious about the life story of strangers. I will lose track of time watching and wondering about people.” A lot of Blackburn’s work depicts solitary figures because “as soon as you add more people to a composition it becomes about the story between them, rather than allowing the viewer to exchange places with the lone figure”. Yet Blackburn’s paintings don’t feel lonesome but warm and jovial, like we’re perched on an outdoor table at a local cafe watching the world go by. Her figures are going about their day-to-day lives at whatever pace suits them. Their amblings feel all the more aspirational thanks to Blackburn’s bright colours and “lack of frenzied brushstrokes, so my paintings do not communicate any darkness. They’re exploring the dichotomy we all experience in life, I want people to feel calm when contemplating them.” The 2D lines and flat planes of colour give her work an added serenity and simplicity that feel easy to digest. Her practice aligns with the values of aspirational boredom: “The human mind craves space and that’s partly what I’m aspiring to do in my work, creating a moment to step away from the chaos.”
