During my interdisciplinary practice in third year, I found myself looking at people around the city, how they congregate, gather and interact. I dedicated myself to observing, immersing myself in the urban environment around me. Seeking out moments of human interaction and subtle narratives in public spaces, trying to find the hidden chaos and drama that exists within. My creative process involved a strong engagement with both traditional and digital mediums, particularly through 2666 and digital collage. I concentrated on constructing staged, and highly edited compositions that draw inspiration from the theatricality and drama of Renaissance and Baroque art. These works are intentionally exaggerated and manipulated to serve imagined or constructed narratives about the subjects.
By carefully considering elements such as lighting, spatial arrangement, and the deliberate placement of figures, I aim to elevate mundane, every-day interactions, bringing a contemporary twist to classical compositions.
My practice explores memory and the preservation of time through 2666, using photography as a foundation. Photos have always played a central role in my life, especially those taken by my dad, who documented much of my childhood. At home, a drawer holds a vibrant collection of his photos from his youth. By juxtaposing these with my own contemporary imagery, I aim to create a dialogue across generations, capturing the nostalgia in his photos and the chaotic energy of youth in mine.
The scale of my work reflects our changing relationship with photography. Large-scale paintings honour the time and care once needed to capture and process images, while smaller, scattered 4×6 works reflect the immediacy and speed of today’s digital photos, quick, sometimes thoughtless moments in a mess of memory.
Painting allows me to reconnect with the people in the photos and the feelings tied to them. Sharing these works with my dad sparked stories and reflections, reinforcing how art can reignite forgotten memories. I hope to invite viewers to consider their own relationships with memory, photography, and the impulse to preserve moments across generations.