Kate Downie

The Asphalt Sea series was conceived whilst on the North Sea Project Residency on the island of Karmoy in Rogaland, on the west coast of Norway. Like Cullykhan, it is a reduction of elements inspired by study and experience. The unmarked grey asphalt I liken to a sea which carries over its surface the criss-cross journeys by car, bus, lorry, just as the real sea beside the junction used to carry the majority of traffic in Karmoy’s recent past. It and the other related works are based on a very particular street junction in Kopervik where my Norwegian residency was based.

All the work surrounding these junction works were creatively fruitful for me, sparking off a performance film and drawing project (Society of Artists, Dundee 2009) as well as a giant charcoal collaged  drawing on brown paper (Toured with ‘the North Sea Project’ 2008-09)