Pouncing is a technique I first came across when watching an interview with the 2009 Turner Prize winner, Richard Wright.His award winning piece was a fresco made from gold leaf on a wall in one of the large gallery spaces of the Tate Britain. The image was a symmetrical, damask stayle pattern which, close up, contains many different styles and periods of artwork to reflect the surroundings and architecture of the piece.
To create the fresco, Wright used an age-old, extremely time consuming technique called 'pouncing'. this is where a cartoon of the image is drawn on paper and then holes are pierced into it along the lines of the drawing. The cartoon is placed on the wall and chalk or charcoal is rubbed over the holes to create a duplicate or 'ghost' of the image. This is then covered with size (a light adhesive) and golf leaf is applied to the top.
The effect of this particular piece is of a shimmering image that appears like a mirage. The delicacy of the fresco gives the impression that it could disappear at any moment. This of course is partly true. As with much of Wright's work, the piece is temporary and its life span is only as long as the exhibition stands. After this, the fresco is painted over and ceases to exist.
