Ollie
This exhibition explores my own experience of anxiety, the pattern of escapism, and the pursuit of an internal sense of stability and peace, developing into the theme of immersion into internal worlds as a coping mechanism. The exhibition mainly consists of large 2D abstract paintings, meant to engross the audience into the mental world of my experience.
Prominent motifs and intertwining shapes appeared throughout the exhibition as a visual language of symbols was established. The juxtaposition of blues with yellows symbolized how calm colors could join with harsher ones to represent the disruption and shock of anxiety, like in Please Remain Calm. The use of acrylic paints permitted varying degrees of translucency, representative of the emotional or subconscious mental spaces that do not have the clear structure or logic of the conscious mind (represented by black stripes and dots) but which nonetheless affect it constantly. Physical layers became important in communicating the depth of the mental world, through sewing or collage in Ripple Effect and Thought Process. The theme of escapism became more central to the exhibition, such as in Storytime for the Distressed, relating to how I have historically read as a coping mechanism. The composition of colors and shapes was the primary challenge in my art-making, necessitating many experiments practicing possible compositions and variations of color so that the work became instinctual by the time the piece was made. The Op-Art movement was an inspiration for my work stylistically, especially Yayoi Kusama. Her theme of mental illness, techniques with obsessive patterns, and aim to create a visual world as a form of catharsis, all influenced my work.
My exhibition space included three display boards forming an L shape adjacent to another panel, the inside of the L shape being the most salient. The works were organized to vary by scale, and to group the artworks incorporating black abstract shapes. The two 3D pieces faced diagonally into the center of the L-shape, to create an intimate frame-like effect. Additionally, a wooden chair was placed next to Storytime for the Distressed, so readers could engage with the book in the intended position without disrupting other pieces. The works with strong colors and shifting movements were displayed within the L-shape most prominently, to introduce the audience to the intensity of the immersion into the mental world right away, and represent the prevalent emotion and need for escapism in my experience.
Away from Home (December 2023)
Glazed Ceramics
36 x 6 x 19cm, 20 x 10 x 19cm
Away from Home studies the experience of growth from one identity to another. It was influenced by cliff faces and how the earth shifts over time, symbolizing mental states. The sides facing each other resemble broken puzzle pieces, which once fit but could not be pieced back together, showing the irreversible changes to the brain and identity as one evolves. It was inspired by Noemie Goudal, who distorted cliffs to make audiences question their perceptions about the world underneath them.
Maladaptive Daydreaming (May 2024)
Acrylic Paint on Wood
125 x 65cm
This work depicts books being unhealthily immersive,by emulating thermal imaging, where colors match temperatures. The book should be dark red (a low heat signature). This insinuates that it has high energy, symbolizing immersion. This links to maladaptive daydreaming through the use of books to escape reality to an unhealthy extent. My piece links to Christina Quarles’ work, through the disconnect between her body and identity relating to my work about escaping the uncomfortable physical world.
Please Remain Calm (October 2024)
Acrylic paint on canvas
150 x 120cm
Please Remain Calm shows the attempt to soothe anxiety and how the techniques to do so can feel futile. Layers of watery paint and dots create movement and represent calming thought patterns washing over each other chaotically, hoping that one will shine through. Yellow areas symbolize anxiety, slowly being taken over by blue, showing how techniques can work. The piece was influenced by the “staining” method of Helen Frankenthaler, who created a luminous quality to the colors of her paintings.
