Project Inquiry Phase 2 Contents • Focus from Inquiry phase 1 – not for re-assessment • Resolved work: Dream Semiotics 3 panels 60 x 45 cm Oil on wood panel o Artist statement o Display view o Individual panels • Documentation: o Resolved work annotations o Supporting evidence
Focus from inquiry phase 1 My inquiry phase 1 focused on how the process of making art could unearth subconscious emotions, and thus aid in self-discovery. My primary focus artists were Joseph Cornell and Glen Skien, who both explore the concepts of nostalgia and memory through the manipulation of found objects. These artists influenced my experimental research, in which I created collages using found objects. My experiments revealed my personal aesthetic, which provided insight into my subconscious thinking.
Artist statement My body of work stems from a personal context, in which I explore my interest in psychology. The unconscious mind is where we unknowingly store painful emotions and experiences that we feel we cannot face. Dreams often reflect aspects of the unconscious mind, giving us insight into parts of the mind that we cannot access through conscious thought. My inquiry focuses on the unconscious emotions that arise in my dreams. The combination of natural and man-made imagery I have employed has been significantly influenced by Jeremy Miranda, who explores surreal scenery in his work. The rocks symbolise danger, serving to highlight the underlying feelings of apprehension and anxiety in my dreams. Doors are a consistent symbol throughout my work, representing how dreams allow me to access my unconscious mind and recognise emotions I have repressed.
Resolved work Display view
Dream Semiotics 3 panels 60 x 45 cm Oil on wood panel
Resolved work Individual panels
Dream Semiotics 3 panels 60 x 45 cm Oil on wood panel
Resolved work Individual panels
Dream Semiotics 3 panels 60 x 45 cm Oil on wood panel
Resolved work Individual panels
Dream Semiotics 3 panels 60 x 45 cm Oil on wood panel
Resolved work annotations Developing:
The personal context of my inquiry has been influenced by my interest in psychology and dreams. My depictions of landscapes hint at surrealism, reflecting the juxtaposing nature of dreams. I have employed imagery from my own dreams, such as rocks and water, which appear as symbols of anxiety and apprehension in my dreams. My focus on unconscious emotions in dreams is communicated by the door imagery, which represents the insight that dreams provide into the unconscious.
Researching:
My focus was influenced by psychological theory, particularly from Lois Tyson. Jeremy Miranda’s exploration of reality and memory significantly contributed to my central focus, particularly his use of natural and man-made imagery. This is enhanced by Joshua Flint’s creation of visual contradictions in his paintings, which produces a dream-like aesthetic.
Reflecting:
I have depicted rocks in all three artworks, conveying the anxiety consistently underpinning my dreams. The doors, superficially symbolising the insightful nature of dreams, also serve as visual metaphors for my dreams. The gushing waterfall represents the overwhelming anxiety in my dreams, whilst the bright light shining through another doorway symbolises how I often dream about experiences I fear I will never have. Some dreams are unconsciously repressed, as conveyed by the closed door.
Supporting evidence
I painted this scene (appropriated from Le Cascate by Guido Borelli) using acrylics to practice painting landscapes. This scene is ethereal, much like the surreal landscapes that appear in dreams. When painting, I had difficulty working with acrylics because of the fast drying-time, so I made the decision to shift my main medium to oil paint. This painting informed my focus on dreams as doorways into the unconscious.
I conducted research into the link between dreams and the unconscious to aid in my inquiry. I found that each person has psychological defenses in place that keep repressed emotions in the unconscious; however, these defenses are not as active in dreams. This means that unconscious emotions can arise in dreams. Thus, my inquiry focuses on how I can use art to explore the unconscious emotions that surface in my dreams.
Supporting evidence Dream Log
Joshua Flint’s surreal oil paintings played a significant role in my inquiry. I was influenced by his expressive brushstrokes, which creates the illusion of texture and a sense of tension within his work. I attempted to imitate this in my experiment by using a palette knife; however, this served to make the painting more visually appealing to audiences rather than evoking feelings of apprehension and tension. Flint conveys that he creates “visual contradictions” (Zebra One Gallery, n.d.) in his work through fusing natural and man-made imagery, which has the added effect of creating dream-like scenery. This has prompted me to consider implementing personal symbols from my dreams in my work, such as rocks. Zebra One Gallery. (n.d.). Joshua Flint. Retrieved from https://www.zebraonegallery.com/artist/joshua-flint/ “Even in the Dim Light” (2018), oil on wood panel, 45 x 45 cm
Supporting evidence
While this experiment directly linked to a specific dream in which I felt anxious whilst climbing rocks, it is relevant to other dreams I have experienced. Forgetting something or being late for an event are common features of my dreams, often evoking a sense of worry. I have chosen to use rocks as a symbol of the unconscious emotions that arise in my dreams - primarily trepidation and anxiety.
Supporting evidence Artist research – Jeremy Miranda
Jeremy Miranda, 2017
In these small illustrations, I experimented with ink and photographs of doors. I explored surreal imagery by combining natural and man-made imagery, such as a waterfall flowing out of an open door. In this way I have created visual metaphors for the unconscious emotions that arise in my dreams, and how dreams can be used as a doorway into the unconscious.
Miranda’s work has inspired my experimentation with doorways and windows. I have a personal connection to these photographs, as they were taken at my grandmother’s house. As a child, I regarded the iron archway in the left photo with awe, while the dark doorway in the middle photo always evoked a sense of fear. The right image depicts a window that looks out onto a hidden pathway in my grandmother’s garden, which always seemed mysterious to me. This experiment has informed my use of doorways in my resolved work, particularly how these forms can become symbolic of a range of personal emotions.