Elsa
My exhibition explores the concept of mundane reality and memory and how it provides beauty when appreciated adequately through art. I intend for this exhibition to communicate to the audience the beauty of mundanity in life and the romanticization of moments. The pieces in this exhibition explore my passions, from candid film photography to fashion design; this exhibition includes many of my favorite art forms. The pieces in my exhibition look into my individuality and passions through moments and memory while branching into others' individuality and memories. The main focus of my exhibition is the portrayal of details through art. The exhibition utilizes a more muted color scheme, with bright colors incorporated in some pieces. Many pieces include collections of found objects or images, all portraying memory and moments.
The pieces in this exhibition explore memory and moments through an artistic lens. I utilize a variety of media in my exhibition, including paintings, sewn pieces, photography, ceramics, and different collage forms. The piece Oranges (Sweet Life) serves as a visual presentation of my favorite songs, while pieces like Stitched and Girlhood use images to visualize my life moments and personality. The most common media within the exhibition are photography and painting. I have been using candid film photography to document my life for a few years, so photographs are present in most of my pieces, literally and figuratively. Stepping and Jiffy portray a realistic approach to painting, all showing small moments that have been revealed with the images my artworks capture, such as a shoe on the ground or a light flare from a concert picture. The painting titled Soleil takes an abstract approach to this concept, using painting to create an impactful ambiance, effectively portraying memory and how it fades. Photography pieces like Stitches and Girlhood emphasize image and how it communicates with a viewer when paired with other mediums. At the same time, HEAVEN shows how image alone can capture style and individuality. The use of collections is also very present in this exhibition, especially within photography pieces. Many of the pieces in this exhibition tie into one another either thematically or stylistically, with the use of collections emphasizing themes in my pieces. While creating this exhibition, I explored in detail many artists from various backgrounds and styles and implemented their techniques, styles, and perspectives into my work. Futurist artist Giacomo Balla inspired my piece Soleil in his portrayal of light and movement. HEAVEN is inspired by Japanese photographers Masahisa Fukase and Shoichi Aoki in their composition and capturing of street styles and subcultures. Finally, the piece titled SU22 is inspired by fashion designer Martin Margiela and his use of interactive elements in fashion shows and his abstract silhouettes.
This exhibition is set up in a small room with a large window. This allows for light to enter the room. My piece Soleil is placed directly next to the window in order for the light to shine into the piece, as it is centered around the portrayal of light. The small room has an intentional cluttered feel. I intend for the room to feel like a teenage bedroom; busy and full of little collections and the things that make up ones personality. In the left and right corners of the exhibition, my earlier pieces are organized in a cluttered manner, with my more recent pieces scattered around the the room. This shows my development as an artist and the small ways in which my style has changed. The setup of my exhibition shows my strengths and allows my work to be perceived in a way that communicates the sentiments of detail and memory in the pieces.
I intend for this exhibition to be perceived in a way that encourages the viewer to appreciate the more minor aspects of their mundane life moments. The exhibition allows the viewer to view my personal experiences through an artistic lens and will hopefully encourage them to do the same. I hope for the exhibition’s versatile color scheme and interactive nature to excite and inspire the viewer. The pieces are meant to be observed closely due to the importance of details in this exhibition.
SU22 (July 2022)
Muslin, up-cycled pants, ribbed fabric, coffee
152x50x40cm
SU22 is a clothing piece inspired by the silhouettes and sentiments. Martin Margiela’s 1989 fashion show. The garment emphasises abstract construction while providing commentary on sustainability in clothing, with inclusion of up-cycled materials. I created the top using ribbed fabric that I distressed. I painted the shape of a rib cage using coffee onto the fabric. The bottom is muslin with an upcycled pair of pants sewn atop them, creating an abstract silhouette.
HEAVEN (March 2023)
Digital image
4 pieces, 42 x 59.4 cm each
Heaven includes four photography pieces taken at a concert that I attended. The photographs are inspired in composition and style by Kyoichi Tsuzuki and Shoichi Aoki’s campaigns for fashion label Heaven by Marc Jacobs. The images capture individual style and are edited to appear like old film images. The piece explores personal identity and how it is projected through style and image.
622 (March 2023)
Wood, transferred photographs, clay, acrylic paint, disposable film cameras
53 x 66 x 12 cm
622 uses acetone printing onto wood to convey an overwhelming and busy appearance. The images are taken from moments over the past two years, and arranged busily. The piece includes small painted features as well as a shelf on the bottom of the piece with different small collaged memories. There are also two disposable film cameras allowing the viewer to interact with the piece, creating their own memories. 622 is inspired by Robert Rauchenberg and his use of collaging.
