The Nature of A Line: Art by Jordan Dunlop
Jordan Dunlop is a Toronto-based artist who creates abstract paintings and drawings that explore the nature of a line. Each of Jordan’s works acts as a self-contained experiment with media.
I really enjoy Jordan’s recent painted works that seem to center on a basic, reduced human figure. Each painting in this series features a colorful abstract background framing a cutout in the shape of a simplified bust, almost like the head and shoulders of a mannequin. The paintings themselves come to look like puzzle pieces, waiting to be connected with another to form a larger, more complete image.
Jordan’s drawings have a similar tone to them. Each one plays with a series of different line forms, from opaque, deliberate marks to more translucent and playful lines. The lack of color in these works allows the viewer to focus on the line art and its intent. In many cases, I find that the lines and shapes have a great deal of personality, and seem to tell a story though it’s up to the viewer to decipher it.
