Artwork
Lapse
Lapse is a drawing by David Rhodes. It dates from 2001 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Lapse is a drawing by David Rhodes that consists of three intersecting loops of colour. The work explores temporal intervals through its layered forms, suggesting a pause or gap between successive events or journeys.
Subject & Meaning
The composition evokes notions of travel and the connections between places, reflecting Rhodes’s preoccupation with movement and return. By presenting overlapping loops, the piece alludes to the passage of time and the repetition inherent in revisiting locations.
Technique & Style
Rhodes employs a restrained palette and subtle colour gradations to create a sense of depth within the planar drawing. His approach references both painterly abstraction and the materiality of drawing, using terms such as "weave," "knot," and "layering" to describe the process of building the image.
Context
The artist’s extensive time spent in Venice informs the work’s visual language; the city’s network of canals and bridges mirrors the interlaced loops in the drawing. This urban environment serves as a recurring source of inspiration for Rhodes, shaping his interest in spatial relationships and mapping.
Legacy
Lapse continues to exemplify Rhodes’s investigation of spatial and temporal concepts through minimal yet intricate mark‑making, reinforcing his reputation for integrating abstract visual strategies with personal narratives of travel.
Artist & collection
Artist
David Rhodes made drawings in the 2000s that feel quiet and precise. In Lapse, thin pencil lines coil across the page, building up subtle shapes without fuss. The marks sit close to the edge of the paper, leaving plenty…
