JEFF ELROD
b. 1966, United StatesJeff Elrod makes large-format abstract paintings concerned with the relationship between hand-painted and digitally created mark-making. His practice is informed by the trajectory of late twentieth century abstraction and the emergence of sophisticated software and print technology. Many of his works are hybrid images which incorporate what he terms ‘analogue’ techniques using acrylic, tape, and spray paint, and ‘frictionless’ digital drawings that originate using familiar programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop. The resulting paintings are characterised by shifts between flat planes of colour and an illusory depth.
A second series of works – the Echo paintings - are produced from hard-edged digital drawings which Elrod transforms into blurred images using Photoshop. They are then printed in UV ink on canvas. Inspired by Brion Gysin and William Burrough’s self-hypnotising Dream Machine, Elrod’s paintings consist of indistinct blotches of two and three-tone colour spread across the painting field. Their pronounced retinal effect is a result of a digital process which un-focuses his dense geometric computer drawings until the skeleton of the image dissolves and a new presence emerges. What begin as hard-edged Jackson Pollock webs on screen are transformed into amorphous clouds of colour. Without a focal point to anchor the image, the visual field of these works resists coherence and the space, shape and lines from the artist’s original drawings are lost and re-presented as a newly churned abstraction.
He now lives and works in Marfa, TX and Brooklyn, NY
Explore and Follow Artists Shaping Contemporary Art
A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services