Tangent by Iain Stewart suggests that our understanding of the world is limited through another means of travel. Tyre tracks converging and then fading off into a misty distance seem to suggest a vastness that cannot be easily comprehended. There is so much beyond our understanding, despite our attempts to gain this knowledge of the world, and our ability to travel can’t do enough to cover and gain knowledge of the the expanse of lands around us, the seas around us, and the sky above us.
In Stewart’s own words, ‘In many ways my work is deeply rooted in the Romantic traditions; questioning our relationship with the land, sea and sky. To face the smallness of our place in this world – to look to the horizon, the point of eternal renewal; the very limit of our knowledge and understanding.’* Our task is not to go beyond the limit of our understanding, but to surrender to it.
* Artist’s statement from “Footsteps to Infinity; On Iain Stewart” extracted from land/sea/sky 1994 – 2004 © Iain Tromp 2004
