RECENT WORK
In David McKay’s most recent work he has been painting detailed subjects on clear perspex/plexiglass panels.
Viewed in reverse, this technique known as Hinterglasmalerie was developed in Byzantine Germany and used mainly for religious work which spread to Asia via the trade routes. It was introduced to Japan via China during the Edo Period and was very popular in India in the 19th Century in both secular and erotic imagery,
In the early 20th Century, Vassily Kandinsky painted more than 70 paintings in reverse.
He uses this painting technique to reflect the fact that in contemporary life we view the majority of images through a screen - via smartphones, monitors and tv screens which create a sense of distance between the viewer and the subject.
These paintings are a detailed record of the everyday whether they are intricate botanical details, urban landscapes or pastoral vistas - personal snapshots representing the artist’s vision of the present.