MATEROLEUM

Materoleum is an installation and body of work created over the course of 9 months by Grant Schofield. Consisting of 5 paintings and 3 editions, these works focus on the temperament of the material medium - which exists in the sphere of the industrial and manufactured. The work begins with a primary inquisition into the “aftermarket”, a term referring to the vehicle customization industry.

Through the process of conceptual thought, production and installation, Materoleum exercises the fundamental concept of recontextualizing materials and objects - while questioning their visceral, organic and intrinsic properties.

My thesis project’s aims to raise questions of how materials are used and interpreted in the context of art. Through the series of motor oil paintings and accompanying motor oil editions, viewers who interact with work gain a new perspective, not only through the visual but also through other sensory components, such as touch and smell.

My thesis project’s objective is to provide an individual and unique experience for those that view the work. The idea is to change the viewers perception of the materials I use in my artworks, as well as an expansion of the boundaries of what defines art in a traditional sense.

The key and primary observation of the body of work relies on the exploration of the temperament of the materials in which I choose to work with. The motor oil, observed on canvas, a deliberate choice in terms of its’ direct relationship to the realm of art, creates a dialogue between material and time.

The paintings are subject to change based on the setting in which they are viewed. As seen in the process, the paintings can change over time, due to location, temperature, etc. Not only does this highlight the values and properties of the material, it also highlights the importance of the viewing experience.