The Line That Refused to Hold – Fine Art Print

Description

This work is defined by a single, dominant rupture that cuts horizontally across the surface, dividing the composition into two tense, interdependent fields. Above and below this line, the surface behaves differently, as though subjected to unequal pressures that refuse to reconcile.

Heavy black forms press inward from both registers, compressing the space and forcing colour into narrow, unstable passages. These colour fragments — ochre, teal, red, and pale yellow — appear trapped rather than placed, surfacing as breaches in an otherwise restrained structure. They function as evidence of stress rather than decoration.

The white ground is aggressively worked. Scraped, fractured, and broken open, it carries the scars of revision and force. Drips are allowed to run, edges remain unresolved, and the surface resists any sense of polish. Nothing here is softened or corrected after the fact.

Despite its intensity, the composition holds together through discipline. The horizontal division anchors the chaos, preventing collapse while refusing harmony. Symmetry is suggested but never completed, reinforcing the sense of imbalance and refusal embedded in the work.

This is not a piece about resolution. It documents pressure, resistance, and the moment where structure fails to contain what it holds. The work does not invite comfort or interpretation; it stands as a record of fracture sustained rather than repaired.

Framing Note
Displayed framed for presentation purposes. Frame not included

Copyright
© 2026 Terry James. All rights reserved.

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• Paper Weight: 200 gsm (80 lb), thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils).
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