Back to: A Personal View
I have always enjoyed the colour of caves, their physical expression of Old Father Time's trudging footsteps through the earth; his feet being the organs of passing hours, water and earthly debris prising, welding, slowly forming the caverns of the cavers dream.
The expressions created by speleo-artists range from the awe-inspiring, unfathomable unknown that is portrayed mostly by artists of the past, to the exploratory geologically minded artist of today. Whether the picture is of a caver kitting himself out with the latest diving equipment, or representations of a remembered caving trip, or the reflected memories of a passage that drips with light, colour or darkness; the impression is the same ... the cave has inspired.
There is an element in a work of applied art that is emotional, never mind whether the view is realistic or of elaborate imagination. There will be a beauty in the expression of the rock. The caver will never be bored, there is either tranquillity or animation. There is never a direct light to crash the eye. I can never view a work of speleo-art from an amateur or professional artist and not enjoy it, because in every one there will be that individual element of I was there
So, how are these wonderful creations born? What is the speleo-art trip or "Workshop"? I am sure I am not alone as a caver who, on occasions, enjoys a time in the cave when I can sit and enjoy the stillness, though not to hold a flashgun for someone. I like to carry a plastic folder of A3 paper. In my sack I have a plastic bag with a variety of pencils, pencil sharpener and a carbide lamp pricker. I always use a carbide lamp which is constantly in metamorphosis to improvement, I often carry a few candles and a small carbide for longer and larger passages I might want to view. Half the fun about creating a picture is the creation of the view, this is all part of the art, the most important factor is not to just look down a passage but create an interest in that passage.
Using light is the only way to see anything. The way to give an emotion to a view, is to have the light reflected off the object of interest. Referring back to "direct light", the lighting used to create an image is deleted from the painting; it is not normally used, as it will detract from the object of interest. It erases features around it. If a flame is part of a picture then it should be diffused as an impression, light reflected back on itself. A caver facing an onlooker with his full carbide flame glowing in circles of reflected light in the issue of his breath bouncing off objects in front of him, is an example of the way a direct light can be used relatively pleasingly, with the view to perspective that must exist in a successful picture.
The type of cave that is chosen for the speleo-artist is quite important if it is to be a practical trip. It is no good trying to squeeze a large, unbendable object up a narrow, inflexible passage, or a cave that needs a tremendous amount of physical assertion with lots of pitches, rifts and places where you may need nine points of contact in order not to risk your life! Leave your artistic equipment at home or, if you must, carry a small note-pad and pencil for inspiring moments, such as when your friend is in tears at the top of a particularly nasty pitch, tangled up with his cows-tails, or when you leap across a crevice and realize there is no 'other side'...quickly look in your pocket mirror...very Edvard Munch!
The caves to go for on a good productive trip, are the ones with the Entrance, be it a passage or a pitch. This on its own creates the best selling, most attractive pictures in any medium. The natural light with its own unique ethereality, and the fact that most cave visitors have been there, will be almost enough to guarantee an interesting subject. Though the real challenge comes with the more adventurous probing into the deeper parts of the cave and the reliability of your own judgement with lighting. It is important not to be anywhere where there is a draught, so keep to a minimum the studying in the vicinity of too much movement of water, especially if you want to keep your light on. Positioning yourself is important, try all angles before you settle for one. Move the light about - shadows are all part of the effect, whether you stand, sit, or lie on your back with your knees between your ears; make sure you are comfortable and have a good view of your subject.
After the exuberance of frantic creativity in our chosen hole, comes the relative anticlimax of The Exit. Whatever you thought your coup de art to be, it turns out to be a very muddy, rambling scribble that even Leonardo could not improve! After wails of "three years training and forty years of talent, it's all for nought!" it is best to furtively hide your efforts and mumble to your comrades something about it being under grots at the bottom of your bag or, saying "actually, I'm sitting on it at the moment while I eat my sandwich," you can drop it in a puddle and quickly do some improvements back in the hut before going up the pub. The next move is to get back to your studio and tell everybody that you are feeling too emotional to show your work until it is completely finished and to please excuse your temperament - after all, you are an artist for goodness sake! Completely paint over every sketch you have made, then see what it looks like when the paint has dried. Seriously, though, you will find that working into a picture after the caving trip is the all-important finale to - The Creation. Sketching what is there is often a hit or miss affair. All sorts of things can go wrong, and the job of the studio is to process the results. One morning you will walk into the studio, catch a glimpse of one of the sketches...suddenly, the fire of your imagination ignites and the Masterpiece is born.
However the artwork is produced - by careful study of a particular image, or by experimental dabbing with a paintbrush - there is often the great desire for eventual exhibition. Nowadays there are, I am glad to say, several ways of achieving this. The first is to join the new Speleo-Art register for exhibitors. There are several functions that I know of that have happened in the past year around Europe especially for the caving public. One was the Caves of Art in Hungary, a festival of music, literature and art. Another was Höhle, Religion und Psyche in Germany. There is the annual Essonne Festival in France and a function in Nice organized by the same people. In Great Britain the cave art scene is particularly active, with Exhibitions being held all over the country and, in particular, at the annual BCRA conference where there is a good turnout from the International Society of Speleological Art. This group also has regular workshop weekends that spread between the four main caving areas of Great Britain - Mendip, Wales, Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
In Switzerland, two years ago, there was the first International Exhibition held at the Swiss National Congress in Breitenbach. The second one now approaches, to be held again in Switzerland at the 12th International Congress of Speleology. Artists from eight countries around the world will be exhibiting. There will also be a whole week devoted to speleo-art workshops, discussions, excursions and exhibitions from the old to the new, for the old and the new.
This is one function not to be missed. Why not step forward, on the road to established speleo-art and worldwide enjoyment?