Final Critique - December 5th, 2008

Rupture

Due to my severe allergies I am consciously aware of my body at all times. Paying very close attention to how I feel has saved my life over and over again. In these situations I have learned that my body and my mind are constantly affecting each other. Our mental state can cause us physical pain, and physical problems will affect our state of mind. When I am having an allergic reaction and asthma attack I can help myself by staying calm and focussed and getting to my medication or a doctor in time. If I lose mental control and start panicking, my physical response gets magnified five - fold and my throat closes up even faster.
Some days I feel like my physical state is trying to rule my life for me, this is an ongoing internal power struggle. This conflict coupled with the wish of breaking out of these physical restraints creates anxiety and the feeling of being trapped. Despite this I believe that behind that bodily shell lies something fundamentally beautiful, peaceful and calm, but my body keeps me from reaching this mysterious healing place with-in. The wish to be able to finally access it freely and make it me, inspired the “Rupture” series of drawings on prints. There is a sense of claustrophobia and irritation that the grabbing hands are trying to deal with by tearing open the flesh and releasing the good.
The body as I know it to be true is beautiful, grotesque, spectacular and internalizes a mysterious universe that is me.

Some Key-thoughts:
Mystical landscape of the body and healing
Claustrophobic
“thin skinned”, wearing ones emotions like clothes
health
physical issues and internal issues externalising themselves.
Human Emotion
the mysticism of the landscape of my emotional internal world
mysterious connection between body and mind
which are often ignored or forgotten
Self
Meditative state
definition of beauty
Recording my Experiences
Unanswered questions
Curiosity
Claustrophobia
Anxiety
Constant question:
WHY?

Some artists that speak to me:
Kaethe Kollwitz (lithos), emotions, moods, devastation
Lucien Freud (drawings and etchings), linework , quality of line, expressions
Emilio Grecco’s linework, interaction and abstraction of two people, fading, unfinished
Gustav Klimt, juxtaposition of portraiture and pattern
Arnulf Reiner, Painting on photography (Uebermalungen), expressing the mind and soul
Kiki Smith, Emotional states total expression through image, material..etc.. fragility, very conceptual though, and rather minimal
Frida Kahlo – emotional record-keeping, recording experiences.


December 2008