Lon Godin's Abstract Paintings: A Studio Visit on the Limits of Language

In a studio visit published by Mister Motley, Australian-born artist Lon Godin (Sydney, 1958) discusses her abstract paintings, which she describes as defying verbal description. Godin, who trained at the Rijksakademie in 1982 and later graduated from the art academy in Rotterdam in 1987, creates large canvases up to 355 by 200 centimeters, often requiring a ladder. Her work, influenced by abstract expressionists like Barnett Newman and Gerhard Richter, emphasizes physicality and the act of painting. Godin also produces stop-motion animations that document the evolution of her paintings; her most recent animation comprises 18,200 images. She works between Amsterdam and Berlin, where her partner lives. The article highlights her philosophical approach, referencing Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, and her desire for maximal freedom in her work, avoiding formulas or minimalism.