Rebels Iconoclasts: John G. Hatch on Paterson Ewen

Paterson Ewen 19252002 had the rare privilege of being involved with two seminal moments in Canadian art: the first with the Automatistes in Quebec the second with the London Ontario art scene of the 1960s and early 1970s. The former directed Ewen away from landscape painting the latter back to it. But Ewens treatment of landscape painting was far from traditional it involved using large sheets of plywood that incorporated printmaking and sculpture. The result was a gouged painted surface reflecting an aggressive working of the plywood that spoke to the psychological challenges Ewen struggled with throughout his life. In turn Ewens oeuvre was an inspiration for many Canadian artists who followed his example of experimentation and depictions of inner visions making him a critical figure in the countrys cultural landscape. John G. Hatch is associate professor of art history and chair of the Department of Visual Arts at Western University. His area of research is twentieth-century European and American art and theory with a special focus on the influence of the physical sciences on modern art. Shortly after Paterson Ewen passed away in 2002 Dr. Hatch initiated the process that resulted in having an asteroid named after the artist Patersonewen 14060. To read Paterson Ewen: Life Work by John G. Hatch visit www.aci-iac.ca.,