THOUGHT ROOM Thought Room explores the human psyche; responding to pressures it is a visual for turmoil through the distortion of space and reality.
Using a range of mediums: digital art, painting, collage, sculpture and printmaking, each piece exposes aspects of a person’s psychological state. Apathy Beware warns the viewer on exposure to anxiety. The background’s circular strokes direct attention towards the figure and the surrounding ringlets. Detracting the viewer’s attention from the face, it expresses how onlookers are unlikely to notice sufferers of apathy, as they mask their vulnerability. Inspired by Op artist Bridgette Riley, Limbo is an extension of Apathy Beware. Riley’s use of lines create illusions of moving pictures. In Limbo, lines are arranged to trick the viewer into thinking the image is moving. They create a mesmerizing image that mirrors the mental experience of apathy. Referencing the film, Inception, “limbo” is the dimension between dreams and reality. The large scale is meant to overwhelm the viewer. Contrasting previous works, my piece Under the Sheets, the multi-dimensional awning creates a sheltered and intimate experience between the view and the artwork. The viewer goes inside the awning and sees the painting up close, experiencing a simulation of hiding under bedsheets which reminisces of a place of comfort and safety. Similarly, in Paradise Hidden, the uniform lines contrast the waving lines in Limbo. Despite being constructed using the same principles, the print creates a sense of tranquillity as they get lost in the field of lines, creating an illusionary and lulling experience. The unique perspective highlights the importance of acknowledging things being taken for granted. Through my art, I hope to immerse the viewer in a sensory experience as a way to highlight the vulnerable facets of emotion and bring awareness to the complexities of the psyche.
KIRSTEN
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