My current work centres on themes of memory, identity and how these ideas manifest within the constructs of gender. Through the mediums of painting, film, sound and photography, I construct narratives that rely on symbolism and subtext. In my paintings, I often reproduce images from film or TV to capture the tone of a scene or character that is significant to my exploration of identity. I am conceptually inspired by artists such as Nan Goldin, Tracey Emin and Sophie Pearson when examining themes of gender and identity. Influenced by Judith Butler’s Theory of Gender Performativity, I explore how the performance of femininity affects one’s psyche and criticise the repressive nature of gender roles. My interest in memory and dream-like imagery is reflected in the liminal, haunting scenes shown throughout my work. I am particularly interested in investigating collective memory and how generational trauma manifests in society from a neo-colonial perspective. My work predominantly employs figurative imagery, emphasising lighting and colour to convey a particular mood or narrative. My paintings tend to adopt a cinematic approach, experimenting with out-of-focus scenery and drawing on gothic films and photography. My process generally involves extensive research and planning, utilising sketches, digital drawing and animation to flesh out ideas. I view my artwork as multidimensional narratives that are frequently left purposely vague to add a layer of strangeness reminiscent of the psychological thrillers that inspire my practice.
