THE SELF

In this authentic collection, five artists examine what it means to be themselves, viewed from internal reflection and as perceived by others.

The exhibition is perhaps the antithesis of how many people present themselves on social media, where they often show how they want to be perceived and hide the real self. The art in THE SELF is raw, authentic, created from the inside out. Unknowing of outcome and meaning, the artists typically have no preconceived notion of the end product. They activate a conduit between their inner thoughts and feelings and the physical representation. When asked where the art came from, the most common answer is, “I don’t know, it just happened”.

In some cases, the meaning of the finished artwork becomes instantly apparent to the artist and viewer. It can also take further exploration before a connection is made. The artwork may be a conscious or subconscious response to personal experiences and expose a supressed mental or emotional state. Issues such as grief, identity and physical/mental illness are all represented in the work.

To some people the visual imagery may be disturbing and difficult to look at. Others will see beauty in darkness. The artwork may also be seen as cathartic and even uplifting as we see resolution. In exploring difficult themes in others lives there is a likely personalisation that occurs from triggering our own memories or drawing out issues that are locked away. Maybe we can allow the art to help process some of our own issues or maybe we simply enjoy playing the role of observer.