Jeff Elrod's 'Frictionless Drawings' at Christian Stein, Milan

Jeff Elrod (Irving, 1966; lives between New York City and Marfa) defines his computer drawings as 'frictionless drawings' because the mouse generates no friction nor the sound of pencil on paper. These sketches, printed repeatedly, represent the preparatory phase for large paintings that follow an inverse procedure: the digital work becomes analog, and the reproduction on canvas is done by hand, with masking, large acrylic fields, and spray paint. The works on view at Christian Stein in Milan (Corso Monforte 23, until October 15, 2016) show an evolution in process. Made between 2015 and 2016, they are almost all digital prints obtained directly on canvas, with small hand interventions that shift attention toward a more material perception. The blurred inkjet-printed background, which forces the eye into a continuous yet impossible focus, serves as a backdrop for acrylic drips and sharp fields that are thrown into a virtual foreground. The exhibition is reviewed by Giovanna Procaccini.