Third year exhibition
Spikehead Artist Statement
Anger, frustration, identity, trauma, being shut off from people & the aftereffects of autistic overload and shutdown.
In the creation of the work that the artist calls “Spikehead” the exploration of all these emotions have been paramount.
Through translating these feelings into a visual medium, it is intended for “Spikehead” to inspire that same internal sense of anger and frustration brought on by personal trauma and project it outward as a statement to the people that did the artist harm in the past.
This work is a deliberate construction of rejection.
The sculpted spikes are based on long-term nuclear waste warning architecture, hypothetical structures that could deter human life from straying into toxic wastelands, and taking the threat of radiation, which in this work is metaphorical of anger and trauma and making it physical.
Creating hostile architecture to construct a divide between the viewer and the work.
The main subject too is a part of the same spikes from which they are emerging, a deliberate fluidity of form inspired by the artists coming-out as a non-binary person.
third year works
"Spikehead Emerges 1"
Edited Digital Photograph
The sequence starts with the figure's pointed head hidden amongst the spikes, camoflaging itself with its surroundings. I wanted to show the figure's head piece as an ambiguous part of the surrounding spikes, making it unknown whether it's a part of them, or if they're a part of it
"Spikehead Emerges 2"
Edited Digital Photograph
Going from the lone pointed head piece in the first image i wanted the sequence to show the body seeming to come out from it like a hermit crab, with the same implications of defence and hiding away that that entails
"Spikehead Emerges 3"
Edited Digital Photograph
Having two images in the sequence showing the figure standing was to create a sense of purpose in its emergence, as well as to show it being connected to the spikes in one way or another, using them for support or hiding amongst them. The figure's silhouette also blends with their shadows, creating confusion as to where it ends and the spikes begin
"Spikehead Emerges 4"
Edited Digital Photograph
The spikehead's silhouette becomes more defined in the penultimate of the sequence, showing it slowly define a form around the piercing headpiece as it breaks the confides of the spike field it hid inside and into its bold transition to the emergence in the final image
"Spikehead Emerges 5"
Edited Digital Photograph
I wanted the figure to be the most prominent in the last of the sequence, showing it stepping out of the spikes that it was hiding in, or trapped by, taking up the prominent red area in the top of the frame and filling up the space almost defiantly, with the very edge of one of its pointed head protrusions just barely scraping the top of the frame
"Spikehead Impailed"
Edited Digital Photograph
One of the last images made for my work. I wanted to expand on the theme of the spikes protruding outward from my person and bursting out of the work in the sculpture portion of the exhibition piece, and so decided to show the figure being run through by the same structures that it'd been inhabiting
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second year exhibition
"Dissociation"
Digital Sequence
Three images made to represent how I view the feeling of dissociation. Shown by my form cut out to remain as a white silhouette among blurred crowds, reflects how dissociation to me feels like the urge to not be where you are, but the overwhelming feeling of standing out. While the first sequentially, the entire work is meant to be seen non-linerarly, existing all at
"Post-it Thoughts"
Digital Sequence
Before and After images of the same area, first unaltered and then plastered with sticky notes with various thoughts on it, made to represent mental clutter and how in my mind, thoughts can often come one after another rapidly, making focus dificult
"Texture Gallery"
Digital Sequence
Close up images of things that have a visible textured surface to them. Made to represent the heightened sensations on skin that myself and neurodivergent people have
"Personal Effects"
Digital Sequence
A piece created to catalogue the various objects I've accumulated for one reason or another over the years, be it sentimental or out of personal interest. I used this sequence to represent how I view things that would otherwise seem useless by presenting them in a classy gallery style
"Sequence of Construction"
Digital Sequence
Row of sheds, barns and other outbuildings in the countryside, photographed to appear considered and angular to represent how I, as a neurodivergent person, view the abstract concept of finding patterns and order out of chaos
Second year Still life
"Still Life With Flowers"
Digital Photograph
First in a set of three still life studio photogrphs inspired by the classical "vanitas" style
The works in this series were all created to be mimics of traditional vanitas paintings. Each has an aspect of 'fakeness' about them in one way or another. In this piece its shown through its plastic flowers and bagged fruit instead of fresh. The expiriy date is
"Still Life With Grapes"
Digital Photograph
Second in a set of three still life studio photogrphs inspired by the classical "vanitas" style
Use of grapes specifically is meant to evoke classicalism, the way grapes are often associated with oppulence in popular culture, but taken in a modern interpretation showing them packaged with a prominent expiration date
"Still Life With Bowls and Fruit"
Digital Photograph
Third in a set of three still life studio photogrphs inspired by the classical "vanitas" style
Like the grapes in the pervious image the use of pomegranite was deliberate to make the viewer think of fruits used in classical paintings, but again, twisted to show a modern equivelant of an ancient symbol
First Year analogue
"River"
5x4 Analogue Landscape
First in a series exploring my introspection on the concept of isolation
Taken from a valley in Buxton
Using a bellows camera I took photos at various locations around derbyshire that had wide, empty vistas. All the images were shot with a matching horizon line in mind so the sequence could match up in a sequence. Developing the images I put a circular border on the phot
"Valley"
5x4 Analogue Landscape
Second in a series exploring my introspection on the concept of isolation
Taken on the tops overlooking Matlock
"Rock"
5x4 Analogue Landscape
Third in a series exploring my introspection on the concept of isolation
Taken near a road going into Buxton
"Cloud"
5x4 Analogue Landscape
Fourth in a series exploring my introspection on the concept of isolation
Taken from a road near Youlgrave
"Tree"
5x4 Analogue Landscape
Fifth in a series exploring my introspection on the concept of isolation
Taken in a field on a walking path heading to Bakewell