Impasse (1970), Cat and Tree (at the Begijnhof Garden) (circa 1973) and Trellis (circa 1973) focus on Knox’s practice in the early 1970s, when his output was perhaps at its most progressive. After making abstract works for a number of years, Impasse marks a shift back towards a more figurative style while maintaining the same conceptual rigour evident in his work of the previous decade. The torrent of water crashing into a brick wall on a plain, untreated canvas acts as a visual representation of the frustration felt towards earlier work. This strikingly literal painting shows that his working methods of the 1960s had reached a conclusive moment and with the new decade would come a new direction.
This stylistic change is evident in both Cat and Tree (at the Begijnhof Garden) and Trellis, which each show further development of Knox’s process. As extraneous details are removed the specifics of each painting become unimportant, leaving an uncluttered and paired back image. Seemingly mundane details like a cat, a tree or a fence give the work a universality that combined with Knox’s sensuous use of colour and form create rich, vibrant and relatable paintings.
The acquisition of Impasse, Cat and Tree (at the Begijnhof Garden) and Trellis for the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), Glasgow helps secure the appropriate legacy of Jack Knox, whose importance to both artistic practice and education in Scotland and beyond should not be underestimated.
