LOGAN T. SIBREL - ANYWAY, ANYHOW

Calmness can be described as flash of serenity that enables the mind to focus on something meaningful. In 'Anyway, Anyhow' Logan T. Sibrel presents his most mature body of work, exploring the nuance, atmosphere and feeling of harmonious, autobiographical moments. A starting point for the work, is perhaps the quote by Henri Matisse cited to Sibrel by a former professor in class. 'What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity… something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.' At the time, Sibrel found little resonance in the theory, and was more concerned with a sense of urgency, and the immediate documentation of ideas.

 However, as his practice evolved, and he has grown into his mid-thirties, Sibrel has found fresh understanding in Matisse's original idea and applied this theory to his own understanding of urgency. There is the urgency to continue making, expressing, and formalising ideas on the canvas, or the urgency to document the ordinary, as well as the colossal and grandiose. Through these expanded interpretations, we understand Sibrel’s commitment to leaving behind a dynamic and truthful body of work, as a reaction to his own feelings of mortality as he edges towards forty. In the paintings, we see angular corners softly harmonised, shadows stretching across t-shirted bodies or figures taking on the hued light of morning, noon and evening. This imagery is drawn from real life, Sibrel’s close relationships and the feeling of inhabiting his own physicality.

Furthermore, the artist is deeply interested in ambiguity – what is not depicted or what is obscured. There are eyes shielded by a pair of stemmed flowers or heads angled away from the forefront of the viewer’s gaze. These scenes are personal and particular to Sibrel, with the element of anonymity allowing ubiquitous associations to come forth. The contemplative nature of the works speaks to restrained, thoughtful contemplations on living. With solitary figures and still lives inviting the viewer to part with a moment of their time and indulge in reflections of their own. The paintings offer an opportunity for rumination and also depict characters working through these very emotions. It’s an earnest pursuit by any consideration and an urgent excuse for us all to take stock.