ETHAN
LOGAN
CURRENT PROJECTS
PAINTING PRACTICE
My painting practice at current, is an ongoing project exploring the nature of social media, and its impact on individuals, culture, and external media. By my method of production I am actively encouraging the consideration of the content collected and depicted. Inviting the viewer to join me in questioning the purpose and motives of the individuals and companies that mine our attention.
My paintings originate as source content, often collected from instagram, before being printed and pasted on to board. Where they are then carefully painted over in oil paint, matching exact colours, and omitting distracting motifs. The resulting effect is a piece that straddles the digital and the handmade, the real and the false. I find this balance to be the element that engages the viewer, and asks them to think more substantially about the content before them.
COLLAGE WORK
My collage work is an intuitive manner of research, which I use to assess the manipulation of images. Utilising a curated bank of found images from a variety of sources (magazines 1960-90), I produce collages which twist and confuse the viewer as they follow trails of motifs and marks down never ending paths. This practice allows me to experiment with a variety of manipulation/distortion techniques, while I assess the malleability of images and audience perception.
PAST PROJECTS
DEGREE SHOW 2025
For my degree show I have chose to produce an installation in the form of a Hong Kong diner. “通往香港 (Leading to Hong Kong)” is a fully immersive and interactive work, with visuals, audio, scent, and actors. I hope people will stumble across it following their nose to be surprised with the contrast of the space. Entering into a seemingly new geographical location, being asked to make sense of their stark change in sensory stimulation. They then must assess the truth of their surroundings. This much I expect from every visitor. Further, I hope they will begin to consider the condition of truth and reality as it is presented to them. To what means are their individual realities manipulated by powers beyond their control. How does media influence their perception of truth and the world around them. Taking this theme from the digital and 2D out to real space, I hope has a stronger impact than my paintings. Although possibly in a less direct way.
The work is clearly an appropriation of a culture which is not mine, to produce the work I have been excellently advised by friends who do have a claim to this culture. The appropriation itself I find is an interesting point. I aim for the work to be as respectful and honest a representation of a Hong Kong diner as it can be. But to do so, I must acknowledge it first, as must each viewer. With this, the notion of appropriation acts as a red herring, an alternative conclusion to be drawn of my work. To be fooled and offended by media enough to cause division between you and the person next to you, is the desire of the current digital landscape. Rotting from within its façade of connection, the aim of the facilitators of social media sites is to divide. As my work intends to ask people to assess the truth within their own lives, the appropriation points to the purveyors of division. Will people be able to look beyond a perceived point of division, to a call for unity.
I must give a very big thank you to Jesse for all his help in the production of this work, and additionally to Jesse’s family, and the GSA tutors and technicians, who also had a big hand in this show.
CONTACT ME
I am very open to collaborations and commissions. Most recently, I have been working with a musical artist, Sherbet Kitty. Within her vision I have produced a music video and her most recent album cover.
Please get in contact with me if you are interested in employing my services. I am open to working with all visions and attempting any medium.