Mark Maxwell

Completed in 1996 these three panels consists of a central motif. The motif is either a copper sheet (soft temper) which has been gently beaten over a firm surface whereupon the textures and details are replicated through the soft metal; or liquid latex which has been poured over the surface and then bound to fabric such as muslin. The surface used in these paintings was the basement floor of a Conservative club in Hoxton, North London - circa 1903. Every detail, crack and contour was captured in the copper sheet which was then incorporated on to a stretched canvas. With the addition of various oils, chemicals and other materials, the canvases were completely transformed. Layers of gold and silver leaf were applied and subtly altered with the chloride and sulphide solutions. The patterns in the concrete floor had changed from inconsequential substrates into objects of iconic style.