Cock fight - A drawing experiment by Jonathan Comerford and Nazir Tanbouli
In ancient Greece, the painter Zeuxis and his contemporary Parrhasius staged a contest
to determine which of the two was the greater artist. When Zeuxis unveiled his painting of
grapes, they appeared so luscious and inviting that birds flew down from the sky to peck at
them. Zeuxis then asked Parrhasius to pull aside the curtain from his painting, only for
Parrhasius to reveal the curtain itself was a painting. Zeuxis was forced to concede
defeat. Zeuxis is rumoured to have said: 'I have deceived the birds, but Parrhasius has
deceived Zeuxis.'
Although this is from Greek mythology, it is often repeated in other cultures, a story about
two artists showing off in front of each other.
This kind of competitiveness is not dissimilar to a cockfight: the male birds begin by an
extreme display of feathers, strutting about parading in front of one another. They preen
and show off. Then things escalate and the battle begins.
The work of Jonathan Comerford and Nazir Tanbouli originates in graphic drawing;
confident, expressive, and individual in style and technique. But this is not an exhibition, it
is a cockfight.
The Cockfight is an experiment: putting these two male artists together in a small space for
a week, working with a range of drawing techniques on opposing walls. It will be a stressful
and dramatic encounter between two strong-minded and stubborn characters. Nobody
else will be allowed into the Studio until the doors were opened to public.
The Cockfight turns away from the smooth, “cool” and non-confrontational culture that
surrounds contemporary art today, and returns to the more visceral tradition of Zeuxis and
his contemporary Parrhasius.
Gillian McIver
Studio 75
Video of the Cockfight can be viewed on Youtube - The Cockfight @ studio 75
