Resume
Biography / Personal Statement
As an artist, I am fascinated by the worlds of the real and the unreal, and the places in which they meet and overlap. This can be represented by objects such as the mirror, which can be interpreted both literally and as portals to another dimension, the ‘mirror world’ where nothing is as it seems, but where nothing in this world can exist without its polar opposite – light and dark, tragedy and beauty, creation and devastation.
Equally my work exists in this semi-real dimension – There may be a very clear subject or message in my work, often there is more than one way of looking at it – the viewer’s own vision is as unique and important as my own.
We all possess the potential to imagine, to create alternative and impractical scenarios, and I am fascinated by art that both expresses the child-like sense of play and makes the impossible possible, such as the work of the Surrealist photographers, and the recent developments in creating interactive spaces to explore using virtual environments such as Second Life.
My long-standing interest in fairytales, myths, legends and gothic literature further ties in with the idea of the looking glass world where nothing is what it seems – the beautiful can be deadly, humans can fly, and anything is possible.
My own practice stems from this, as I aim to create immersive spaces for the spectator to interact with and explore, or which hint at the unknown space beyond – that the spectator can experience if they choose to ‘step inside’.
The research that I undertake runs very closely with the work that I produce, focusing on the space between the real and unreal, and the interaction between the spectator and an artwork.
Exhibitions & Shows
Further Info
My practice and research focuses on the space between the real and unreal, and the interaction between the spectator and an artwork.
I view the individual or group experiencing an art work as protagonists. I feel that a suitable descriptive term is as yet undetermined for the spectator turned participant in art and their interaction with the work, however this term identifies the role as both proactive and central to the work.
My concept of the protagonist is linked to what Professor Miroslaw Rogala terms (v)user1 in his essay Towards a Theory of Interactive Art Experience, referring to “participants who are both viewers and users in the interaction with the artwork and among themselves” (Rogala 2000).
The Surrealist movement gave existing artistic processes a new lease of life through experimentation and modification, and exploring the fantastical and unexpected. Artists continued to draw inspiration from the past, utilising contemporary themes and materials to create new works, later seeking audiences willing to interact with and experience their work.
The space between the real and unreal evident in both surrealist and contemporary artistic practice is associated with the theme of the mirror, as in Lewis Carroll’s narrative where the heroine travels into an alternate dimension. Reflective surfaces are themselves magical spaces, creating a temporal world, also symbolising a transformation from one form to another.
Through my practice, I use the image of the mirror to demonstrate the space between the world of the participant and that of the artwork in three ways. I feel that each are equally important, with each encouraging interaction within the space:
1. Through framed and displayed work, creating a transparent window through which the protagonist can travel using their imagination.
2. Through computer-based work, creating a transparent portal where the protagonist is able to step into and immerse themselves in the work using their own persona or that of an avatar.
3. Through installations, allowing the protagonist to physically navigate the space, often being required to change perspectives and interact with the space to fully appreciate the work.
As Nicolas Bourriard notes in Relational Aesthetics, “Art is a state of encounter”. The concept of immersing the audience in an artwork, and addressing multiple senses could be seen to have its roots in Richard Wagner’s Gesamtkunstwerk, or opera for the stage. It is this sense of theatricality and interaction which intrigues me and is central to my work as an artist.
I am keen to explore how artists such as Rebecca Allen, Professor Rogala and Char Davies create immersive, interactive experiences through digital art, and how the Surrealists encouraged the viewer to look at two and three-dimensional art works and objects in different ways, creating a passive interaction with the user through emotion and irrationality.
In order to explore the relationship between user and art work, I plan to develop a number of pieces of work and interactions, both passive and active, requiring the protagonist to navigate the space or engage with the work.
I work across a range of mediums including photography, film, installations and digital art. I plan to also undertake work using open source virtual worlds such as Open Cobalt and Sirikata.
I use spaces in my work that are both open and accessible to a wider audience, such as public buildings and shop windows, as well as more formal gallery environments, and spaces that can be experienced by a small group of people at a time.
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