Painting

Sarah-Jane O’Connell

O’Connell’s practice has adapted to the current situation we find ourselves in with covid-19. All of our bodies have undergone significant changes both mentally and physically due to environmental and societal changes taking place in this unprecedented time. O’Connell has always been fascinated with how we experience the world within our own bodies. She began to use her skin as the canvas, where the organ becomes the living and experiencing surface, focusing the attention on the texture and tactile nature of flesh. In a time where we are told to distance ourselves O’Connell wanted to explore the human experience of touch within her practice, making the work tangible and personal in its nature and looks at the restrictions we face today regarding human touch in the physical world. The work shows the ephemeral nature of the body through the use of performance and applying clay as paint onto the skin which cracks and falls off over time. O’Connell’s work questions the representation of the body through physical and digital forms. She collaborated with a photographer and product designer to empower the work and stay ‘ In touch’ with fellow creatives during lockdown.

NEXT | ALL