Andy Reeve

I was born Monday 1st August 1977 and I'm, essentially, a painter. Sometimes I use a knife instead of a brush. A painting can be more than an image on or what is cut out of a canvas. It can be the object as a whole; frame, title (essential), or empty space in the canvas. The "happy accidents" in the paintings that have been cut are those I do not make; the original artist's notes scrawled on the canvas, the gallery's stamp or any other marks, dust, cobwebs etc.

Cutting into an existing painting causes me to think about the artist responsible for the original work and the absurdity in my actions: What right do I have to do this? What would the artist think of my involvement? What if this painting is worth more than the figure cut from it?  Through the process of hand-cutting into a painting, I maintain a personal connexion with the work by using skills associated with traditional drawing and painting.

The values cut from the canvas can be personal, witty, critical, referential and contextual as well as being the price of the work. Why should one work cost more than another? How do I choose the price? There is no escaping how much one has paid for one of my works, but I will always make a work that anyone can afford to buy. You will have to be alert or serendipitous.

My work will become increasingly personal and more valuable to me as I age.  If I live until Saturday 1st August 2054, I will be 77 years old and will no longer make art...