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Victoria Morton

The Modern Institute, Aird's Lane, Glasgow
Until January 17th 2015
Four stars

'OPTIMUM LIVING MADE EASY', the quasi-ironic legend just about declaims
from the second of five large-scale paintings that make up a new cycle
of work by Victoria Morton. Or at least that's what it appears to say,
as the poster-size message that resembles a stencilled-in slogan is all
but obscured by swirls of red camouflage as well as the image of a
female figure who appears to be squirting paint into her palm.

Such wilful discretion is the most tellingly talismanic image on show,
even as it acts as a bridge between the explosions of colour elsewhere.
At times improvised but never slap-dash, these burst forth with a
self-referential life-force which flits between a blood-rush of fevered
activity offset by pools of calm that trickle out beyond the oranges
and lemons.

As a very personal story-board, it highlights a vivid life and death
swirl that points to little moments captured from everyday narratives.
These aren't so much made flesh as have their psychological innards put
under the microscope in a way that goes beyond words in a shadow-line
that borders the woozy limbo-land between process and product.


The List, December 2014
ends

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