Diptych - One Step Forward (2004 - 2006) is reminiscent of Greaves's work from the 1960s. During this period Greaves made use of diptychs and triptychs to signify the movement of time between images, or to represent different times and places together for the purpose of contemplation.
This work seems to associate person with place, whilst creating a dynamic movement between the two. The step forward reaches out of the realm of the frame into a vacuous space between the two panels, whilst the horizontal lines create a consistency and harmony of space between them. As well as the physical representation of movement and time, the step forward could be seen to create a metaphorical sense of progression and development, whilst the geometrical form of the triangle creates a portal into an unknown time and place.
This painting is another example of how Greaves endeavours, and achieves, to give equal weight to both the abstract and the representational, especially through the specific use of form and colour. The form in this particular painting is achieved through the juxtaposition of straight and curved lines, the former used for the human form and the latter for the manufactured components of the work, being the architectural elements and the garments on the figure. This approach breathes life into the natural, creating the impression of movement.
Literature
James Hyman, Derrick Greaves:From Kitchen Sink to Shangri-La, Lund Humphries, London 2007, illustrated p.165.