Construction and Deconstruction: Opposing Forces of Nature and Dimensionality in the Art of Jon Aley-
By Gena Schwam (05-24-11)
Missouri-born artist Jon Aley's latest series of acrylic paintings explores themes of construction,
deconstruction and dimensionality. Aley's roots in the Midwest are expressed clearly throughout his
abstract explorations into the transcendence of time and space. Trees, houses, prairie-like landscapes
and farm animals are recurring foundational themes that seem to inhabit each of his works, sometimes
unrecognizable and sometimes serving as backdrops for natural and supernatural catastrophes.
Architectural and figurative constructions are ever-present in Aley's work. Farm houses are a common
symbol used to represent structure and balance - the known and stable elements of our terrestrial
reality. When Aley chooses to explore the shifting nature of reality and open the viewer to alternate
dimensions, such static forms as walls, roofs and doors are shattered and exploded. New dimensions
shift and invade the present space, causing an opposition between what we can visually reference
and the way those elements have been deconstructed by the new planes and shapes of space. This
constant duality between one dimension and another, and the subsequent breakdown/regeneration of
recognizable forms permeates Aley's paintings even as they become more abstracted.
Storms and their power were a strong influence on Aley during his youth. The destructive potential of
a simple cloudy sky is something that Aley has not taken for granted, and this potential bursts forth into
colorful diffusions of shape and color seen in such paintings as "Broken Sky Silhouette Pretending". In
contrast, "House Waves Rooster" provides a glimpse into the havoc wreaked on the landscape by the
power of water. Here, the water table itself seems to burst forth from the ground, invading a house in
a lava-like explosion from under the earth's surface. As earth's forces work to construct new planes and
terrains, so too are they deconstructing older ones.
In "Crucifix or A Good Night's Sleep", human beings and God alike hover between realities, straddling
their respective dimensions and breaking all the rules of physics as they float in and out of each others'
worlds. An innate erotic undertone symbolized by a woman's nude body rising up from the center of
the canvas juxtaposes with the religious symbolism of Christ looking down from above. These themes
coalesce into an image of worldly and other-worldly concerns – the base needs of humanity vs. the
allure of heavenly religious ascendance. Surrounding the central figures are planes and atmospheres of
color which shift and merge into and out of each other, just as our mortal desires battle it out within our
own minds.
In "Monolith or God Trying to Escape", Aley similarly reminds us that the fabric of our reality can be
broken, the forces of the universe turned in on themselves at the whims of a higher power. Essentially,
shapes that represent solid planes (the pastel green blocks emanating from the edges of the painting)
can be mangled, mutilated, dissipated and usurped by other forms representing other dimensions.
Aley's fascination with negative and positive space is evident in this piece, as colors and shapes overtake
each other, each vying for space and optically transforming the landscape of the painting. As colors and
shapes bleed into and out of each other, so do the energies they represent, as we realize that the world
we inhabit is also filled with synchronous energies from many sources.
Aley's masterful painting technique and use of abstract and representational forms merge together
within each strikingly unique painting to present a microcosm of the universe's energy potential and
power. His paintings make us question our own place in the world, and wonder whether we are alone
or coexisting with other forces. The raw power of nature coexists in a fragile balance with earth's
ecosystems, as evident in the storms, earthquakes and floods that so often tragically catch us off guard.
