A large diptych painting by Max Boyla. Circular white forms on a pink background.

Dowsing is part of an on-going series of paintings that cast shell vases in various interior settings. In the series, the opening of each shell vase implies a portal into another space or time. Dowsing, in particular, is built of textures generated from suminagashi marbling. Suminagashi is an ancient Japanese marbling technique which means "floating ink". Patterns are made by alternating drops of soap and ink on the surface of water; Suminagashi patterns form random concentric rings, which can then be "printed" by placing a piece of rice paper over the surface of the water. All of the wood grain patterns in Dowsing were created using this technique, and then scanned and screen printed on the surface of the painting. Additionally, Dowsing is a depiction of the meditative Suminagashi process itself; floating ink and its shadow are at the centre of the painting.

Detail of an abstract Max Boyla painting on silk with large white spots against a red and pink ground

Exhibition Feature Image

Installation images of Max Boyla's exhibition 'Crying like a fire in the sun' at Workplace, London. 

Installation view

London

WORKPLACE

Crying like a fire in the sun

Dominique Fung's painting 'Tea Time, Me Time'. A tea pot against a blue and black background, with drops of liquid coming from the spout into an east asian tea cup. 

Installation photographs of 'This is Water' a group exhibition at Workplace | London

Max Boyla

Related Artist

Max Boyla

Related Exhibitions

London

Newcastle