I once read a book on aesthetics that discussed the differences between painting and the other arts.  One of the distinctions made was that music, drama and literature, by their nature, require time to comprehend while painting, at one level, can be seen at a glance in one strong impression.   I was inspired by this premise to begin creating complex paintings which are impossible to absorb in a moment.  By involving three-dimensional forms and certain interactive elements into my work, I force the viewer to spend time exploring and understanding my paintings.

 I use life-casts, canvas and fibreglass to extend the picture plane beyond the usual two-dimensions and in this way I bring my subjects into reality; they are three-dimensional; they are life-like; they require space.  In direct opposition to this, I build revolving doors and panels into the paintings which actually remind us of the picture plane and which may alter or transform the essential meaning of the painting when manipulated by the viewer.  In this way, I insist that the viewer acknowledge the painting as an object that has been made of wood, canvas and colour and that he or she be involved in the creative decision about how the painting will be arranged and so first appear to the next person.  The extent of the viewer’s physical interaction required to fully experience my paintings is at the heart of my art practice and is meant to enrich the meaning of painting. 

Richard Motchman