David Osbaldeston: “Drawing is the basis of everything I do. It is like a hidden language that operates directly out of the nervous system.”

David Osbaldeston explores the dynamic interplay of images and words through his innovative collage and printmaking techniques.

David Osbaldeston discusses his artistic process, the significance of scale in his work, and the themes of identity and value in his upcoming publication.

David Osbaldeston, whose innovative approach to collage and printmaking invites viewers to reconsider the boundaries between words and images. Osbaldeston’s work stands as a testament to the power of visual storytelling, marrying the spontaneity of collage with the meticulous craftsmanship of intaglio etching. Through his dynamic use of scale and material, he challenges traditional notions of value, class, and identity, creating a dialogue that resonates deeply with contemporary audiences.

Osbaldeston’s artistic practice embodies a unique synthesis of historical influences and modern techniques, as he navigates the intricate relationships between disparate elements. His belief that drawing is a hidden language that operates from within the nervous system permeates his work, revealing the layered complexities of identity and perception. With a keen eye for the interplay of forms, he transforms the act of making into a form of social commentary, inviting us to reflect on our own positions within the fabric of society. In this exclusive interview, Osbaldeston shares insights into his creative process, the significance of scale, and the motivations behind his upcoming publication, “A Pastiche of Different Techniques.” Prepare to be inspired by an artist whose work is as thought-provoking as it is visually stunning.

David Osbaldeston’s innovative approach and mastery of collage reveal profound insights into identity and perception, captivating audiences with every piece.

How does collage serve as a medium for exploring the relationships between images and words in your work?

It’s a way to put images together. Words are images. My interest in collage deals simply with the re-arrangement of separate realities.

It is a form of open play, so I think with my hands as much as my head. I’m always prepared for the collages to not work out, but the ones that do often end up as large-scale intaglio etchings. I don’t enjoy making things difficult, but the paradox between the spontaneity of collage and the slowness of etching creates a tension that becomes an essential part of the message. The priority is in making the right word and image work together. It’s the same with the ‘word prop’ series I have been making on prepared linen which are screen prints.

Can you discuss the significance of scale in your artwork, particularly regarding your artist’s books versus your large-scale etchings?

I discovered a long time ago that I like to work at opposite ends of scale. Sometimes an idea will be best suited to the modest scale of an artist’s book where it makes more sense for the work and the reader to be in sync.

Other times when I embark on a large etching, I find myself obsessing over how an image occupies space almost like a piece of sculpture. For my first solo show I made a composite etching to fit the surface area of a billboard where the intimacy of it on such a scale invited a closer form of visual reading.

What role does drawing play in your artistic process, and how does it inform the other media you engage with?

Drawing is the basis of everything I do. It is like a hidden language that operates directly out of the nervous system as an interaction. Each time I begin something, a different challenge always presents itself, but it always comes through drawing. I consider drawing as something other than simply making pictorial observations.

You mention a desire to challenge perceptions of value, class, and identity. How do these themes manifest in your work?

Fine art practice is generally rooted in perceptions and realities of remoteness and exclusivity. I like to work with opposites of process. Etching is thought of as a substitute for painting. Screen printing evolved from an industrial process, and so on… The irony is I don’t see myself as a printmaker, but much of my interest stems from a desire to satirise the assumptions of what an art object might be which is probably a very bourgeoise idea in itself.

I’m not attempting to identify as a working-class artist, but I understand it. Like many others, my mother came to post-war England from rural Ireland with no qualifications and held it together for most her working life as a carer and hospital cleaner. After lots of jobs my dad worked for a while as a librarian in F.E but due to mental health issues decided to opt out in his forties. We had no money. Growing up I was acutely aware of how that feels, and it never leaves you.

What motivated you to create the upcoming book “A Pastiche of Different Techniques,” and what can audiences expect from it?

The book charts the development of studio work I’ve made over the last two years for solo exhibitions at Glasgow Print Studio and Moon Grove in Manchester. I’m drawn to the idea of it extending their life and it will be an artist’s book in the sense that it has a two-colour screen-printed dustjacket. The book will be published in early 2025 and tell the story of the work’s development with images of recent etchings, screen prints on linen, and collaged paintings each made in series.

As you describe it. In what ways do you aim to create a porous relationship between your studio practice and the outside world through your exhibitions and publications?

I’ve come to think of what I make as ‘flat sculpture’which is a way to describe how images and words are pushed together to make a compressed form. An artwork that slots through a letter box is still a very seductive idea, just as it can be when a work is made to be sited on a wall. But it’s always material.

EDITOR’S HIGHLIGHTS