Horton Rower in American Art

Gavril Bogdan Constantin

American Studies

Year III

"Spilled milk might be an accident, but spilled paint sure makes for some amazing art"

The presentation will stress upon introducing the concept of “pouring paint” and exemplify its

use in American art with special consideration to Horton Rower. To be mentioned the fact

that the above mentioned artist is not yep very famous for what he is doing and that might be

also the reason why we cannot say many thing related to his biography. Some things are for

sure, namely that Horton Rower was born in 1962 in Greenwich Village, New York City,

where he attended the Putney School. Currently he stays in Brooklyn and his studio is located

in Lower Manhattan. But there is an aspect relaed to his life thta might make things a little bit

interesting, and that is the fact that Horton is the nephiew of Alexander Calder, a famous

American sculptor and artist that became known for inventing the abstract sculptures he liked

to call "mobiles". A “mobile” represents a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take

advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which

weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other,

so that the rods remain more or less horizontal. Each rod hangs from only one string, which

gives it freedom to rotate about the string. Mobiles are popular in the nursery, where they

hang over cribs to give infants something to entertain them and give them external

visual stimulation. Mobiles have inspired many composers, including Morton

Feldman and Earle Brown who were inspired by Alexander Calder's mobiles to create mobile-

like indeterminate pieces. Frank Zappa also claimed that his compositions were modeled on

Calder mobiles. The meaning of the term "mobile" as applied to sculpture has evolved since it

was first suggested by Marcel Duchamp in 19311 to describe the early, mechanized creations

of Alexander Calder that, besides his mobile sculpture, also created paintings, lithographs,

toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.

What makes Holton Rower’s work so special? He uses a new strategy in order to create art,

namely “pouring paint”. By this this new approach we can understand the fact that it

represents an innovative way to use acrylic paints to create an art piece. Instead of using tools

like brushes or knives to create a piece of art, fluid paints can be poured directly onto the

surface and the canvas tilted to move the paint around. Pouring paints allow for the colors to

blend naturally as they come in contact with each other. This technique can be done either

1 Tomkins, Calvin: Duchamp: A Biography, Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1996, p. 294

using one single color at a time, or with multiple paints in order to maximize color blending.

Pour painting can also be done with oil paints, but because those paints take a longer time to

dry, the piece would have to be done over an extended period of time, or with wet paints.2

His paintings are made out of two main materials, namely plywood and acrylic paint that are

transformed by Rower’s imagination and daring. The interesting part is that some of his

paintings are so big that they could only be photographed by laying them in the alley behind

Rower’s studio and photographing from the third floor. I’m a firm believer that artistic ability

cannot be taught unless you already have some talent that just needs developing. But I also

believe that great art can be created just from an idea, and the videos that display the art of

Rower can be considered a perfect example in this sense.

What he basically does is that in the studio, Rower orchestrates the pouring of successive

layers of colored paint onto three-dimensional objects. His pour paintings are vibrant displays

of acrylic paint left mostly to its own devices. Standing above large planks, Rower pours paint

down thick wooden protrusions, allowing the paint to grow, or not, as wood blocks and other

2 Marion Boddy-Evans, “Acrylic Painting Techniques: Pouring Paints” http://painting.about.com/od/acrylicpainting/a/pouring_acrylic.htm (Accessed June 2 2012)

obstacles permit. Though at first the method seems simple, Rower has refined the process and

his technical skills to an extent that intention and spontaneity are evident in equal measure in

the work.

The designs that result from his effort represents in part the effect of careful color selection,

timing, and pouring, and in part the less predictable result of gravity and surface forces on the

materials. The latter aspect is also the most interesting one because when you pour paint, you

will never end up with a creation that looks the same and every time you will have a

remarkable masterpiece to show the world. Holton Rower is a big fan of bold color and his

work showcases color in a very special way.

One major advantage in Horton’s work is the use of acrylic painting techniques, which

represent different styles of manipulating and working with polymer-based acrylic paints.

Acrylics differ from oil paints in that they have shorter drying times (as little as 10 minutes)

and are soluble in water. These types of paint eliminate the need for turpentine and gesso, and

can be applied directly onto canvas.3 Aside from painting with concentrated color paints,

acrylics can also be watered down to a consistency that can be poured or used for glazes.

Acrylics are often preferred because they dry faster on canvas than oil paints due to their

polymer base. This also affects the time acrylics stay moist. A trick to keep paints from drying

out is to spray a light mist of water over them occasionally. Moisture-retaining palettes also 3 Acrylic Painting Techniques http://www.artinstructionblog.com/acrylic-painting-techniques (Accessed June 2 2012)

increase acrylic paint drying time, and can be substituted with a shallow container, a sheet of

grease proof paper, and piece of wet watercolor paper.4 Fluid paints can be used like

watercolors, or for glazing and washes. To create a more fluid texture, water is added to the

paint. The ratio of paint to water depends on how thick the glaze is expected to be. An opaque

glaze or paint consists of more paint than water, and will give a more solid color. A

translucent glaze or paint will be the opposite, consisting of slightly more water than the

opaque version, and will have a smoother texture. Translucent glazes show more of the colors

underneath the paint compared to opaque glazes. Artist Keri Ippolito advises that the paint

should be watered no more than 50 percent or the paint will not stick to the canvas. After

mixing the paints, allow time for the air bubbles to rise to the surface. This will be crucial in

many techniques, especially in pouring paints.

Acrylic paint glazes are often used to create more in an image. These types of paints are light

enough when brushed onto canvas to show the layers underneath. This technique is

commonly used to create more realistic images. Light colored glazes also have softening

effects when painted over dark or bright images. Artists can mix glazes themselves, or can

buy pre-mixed acrylic glazes. It is best to wait for each layer to dry thoroughly before apply

another coat. This will prevent the paint from smearing or leaving unwanted smudge marks.

4 Acrylic Paint Review, “How long does it take for acrylic paint to dry?” http://acrylicpaintreview.com/acrylic-101/how-long-does-it-take-for-acrylic-paint-to-dry/ (Accessed June 2 2012)

After the application of several layers, rubbing alcohol can be brushed or sprayed on to reveal

colors from earlier layers.

Regular people can see Horton’s masterpieces displayed at his studio in Manhattan or starting

with this year, different locations in the world. The first location he chooses is The Hole in

New York.

“After five years in seclusion, Holton Rower is emerging with a solo show in New York City. His pour paintings, on display at The Hole through May 26th, are vibrant displays of acrylic paint left mostly to its own devices. Standing above large planks, Rower pours paint down thick wooden protrusions, allowing the paint to grow, or not, as wood blocks and other obstacles permit. Though at first the method seems simple, Rower has refined the process and his technical skills to an extent that intention and spontaneity are evident in equal measure in the work.”5

Straight from entering The Hole, visitors are welcomed by the simplest of Rower’s works.

The paintings in this room consist of fewer colors, layered in rings up to an inch wide. The

paint retains its separateness from the surrounding rings, resulting in smoother lines and more

definition.

5 The Sche Report, „Kaleidoscope of Color: Holton Rower” http://theschereport.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/kaleidoscope-of-color-holton-rower/ (Accessed on June 2 2012)

The works in the second room employ more colors applied in thin rings, with colors mixing

and forming intricate designs, begetting a comparison to a topographical map of mountainous

lands. The third room contains five titanic works, some with protrusions, cut-outs, and

seemingly several points from which paint was applied, creating contiguous, vaguely defined

abstract rings of color. This room feels a bit like the grand finale on the Fourth of July; the

biggest, brightest and most complex work of the show is here, though these are not

necessarily the most thoughtful or compelling pieces.6

He does not have a predestined name for his artworks but that does not represent an issue in

the eye of the critics. His success depends mostly of the feedback Horton is going to receive

from the visitors of The Hole where he has his works displayed.

What is more impressive than one psychedelic spectral pour painting by Holton Rower?

“Paint here is truly on parade,” says the gallery of the collected works. Individually they are

the product of a high experimentation and pre-meditation; the properties of each cascading

color creating a singular, accumulative path that blends moves about and pushes, vacillating

form and direction and finally settling into autonomous and unexpected beauty.7 A pedestal

has been setup and a range of different colored paints poured into coffee cups you usually see

people carrying out of a place like Starbucks. The paint is then poured over the top of the

6 Sara Roffino, “Holton Rower pour painting” http://www.planet-mag.com/2012/art/sara-roffino/holton-rower/ (Accessed June 2 2012)7 Matthew Humphries, “Creating beautiful artwork by pouring paint from coffee cups”http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-cetera/creating-beautiful-artwork-by-pouring-paint-from-coffee-cups-20110212/ (Accessed June 2 2012)

pedestal and allowed to run down the sides. One color just looks like a mess, but adds several

and then starts repeating them and you end up with something that looks quite stunning.

The works have a relationship to color field painting and other formal explorations of abstract

and minimal legacies, the most superficial relationship perhaps to Morris Louis’ “Pour

Paintings”, but instead of seeking the autonomy of color, these works are physical, aggressive,

literal and muscular. They, of course, are process-driven as the paint is given free rein to be

itself, and like the heroic works of the last century do pursue the sublime; but there is

nonetheless something else happening here. Rower deals not just with gravity but gravitas.

Rower’s pours come closer to the abstracting nature photos of Edward Weston than to the

works of Pollock or de Kooning, painters who, even when most abstract, always left behind

traces of the actions of their hands. Meanwhile, the breadth of suggestibility Rower’s pieces

spans such a huge range: from the geode-type pieces to the brain scannish works, from

spaceships to vertebrae to Northern Lights, lace antimacassars, ghoulish masks, surfaces of

distant planets, adipose tissue, underwater mollusks, dendrites, coral, sexual bodies, Christian

relics, mitochondria and Golgi complexes: it’s hard for the poetic mind not to run amok.8

8 The Hole, “Holton Rower: Pour Paintings” http://theholenyc.com/2012/04/19/holton-rower-pour-paintings/ (Accessed June 2 2012)

Rower was born in the psychedelic 60s and grew up working in his father’s construction

business, where he learned about heft and weight and managing teams of people to do

massive undertakings. The grandson of Alexander Calder, Rower was surrounded by a culture

of art making and the influence of amazing cultural figures. He has been developing and

perfecting these pours in seclusion over the past five years. Recent shows at Pace last

summer, John McWhinnie in New York and forthcoming projects at Shirazu in London are

just the beginning of sharing these important works with a broader audience.

For art, Rower is very important because his creations are inspired by modern era. I’m a firm

believer that artistic ability cannot be taught unless you already have some talent that just

needs developing. But I also believe that great art can be created just from an idea, and

Rower’s creations are the perfect example. A pedestal has been setup and a range of different

colored paints poured.

Holton Rower collection is actually the result of a new artistic approach. It is an approach

like the Salvador Dali paranoia criticism. The goal of his technique is to find design elements

in the mathematics universe. In the best is to successfully merge these worlds in order to

obtain a complex and surreal would do by the mix of light sources. He create two virtual

worlds that are made of a mixture of fragments and elements for the most part these are

confined in a small area.9

In the end I want to say that Holton Rower has a great importance for american modern art.

9 http://www.saatchionline.com/art-collection/Painting/Holton-Rower/78134/10354/view