STATEMENT
My practice deals with illusion, interventions, metamorphosis, taxonomies and provisional structures. Starting from Old Masters works my process is an evolving loop. Through intervention on book pages and postcards, I re-present and subvert classical narratives, cloaking the figures to open up new possibilities. Mischievously re-contextualised they continue the ongoing conversation between artists throughout art history; questioning both our relationship to art history and to the ownership of these images.
‘Rather than copying, the relation to the past has become increasingly defined, in broad terms, by the process of technical reproduction, and thus by appropriation.’ (John-Paul Stonard)
Much of the art I am familiar with or inspired by have come to me through secondary imaging, containing none of the fundamental qualities that encapsulate the originals – namely the hand of the artist. They lack a sense of scale, feel for paint application and contain no feeling of craft or beauty of surface. Through creating new images from the printed reproductions; I am building an intimate relationship with these works, which also brings the viewer up close to consider them both as living paintings and objects.
My digital photographic work references both painting and classical sculptures. The figures are fragile temporary objects, which are reproduced as ephemeral effigies, photographed and extended through painted and digital mediation, culminating in new interpretations.
The presentation and placement of the work within its display environment have an impact on its reading and as such play an important part in the works’ manifestation. The object and its context shift positions depending on situation. I am currently experimenting with different modes of display to challenge our reading and engagement of the work displayed within.