The flesh is weak and the timber is crooked

My graduation project is focused on uncovering the messages conveyed by the bodies depicted in my artworks. I've been fascinated by the theme of indelible traces, which often intertwine with memories and, by extension, tattoos. Some imprints in our lives are ones we'd rather forget or feel ashamed of, leading us to want to conceal them. Yet, the truth remains that we can never fully obscure the traces we've left behind. In my drawings, I express this concept by smudging, erasing, or covering certain elements of the depicted figures. Similarly, in my collages, covering a portion of the image generates a new narrative, yet the act of concealment inherently suggests a desire to hide or avoid being seen.

Artist statement

Within my drawings and collages, I actively engage with themes such as physicality, intimacy, vulnerability, and a subtle touch of fear. The human forms I create within my drawings undergo various phases of fragmentation. It starts with the deconstruction and reconstruction of photographs, as I tear them apart to forge surreal human shapes. These collages serve as the foundational elements of my drawings. For me, the magic of drawing lies in the journey from creating nothing to something. It feels like expressing something beyond words, capturing the essence of an ambiguous feeling.

In my recent drawings, I have been exploring the technique of smudging to enhance the narrative within my works. This method adds an element of mystery, implying a sense of movement or a hidden history within the depicted body. Within my works, certain themes embody a duality of wanting to hide and longing to be seen. I leave traces that resist completely being erased or intentionally covering specific areas in my drawings and collages. This act of concealing, like overlaying a landscape with a torn photograph of a body or skin, carries a symbolic significance. Even in my collages, I strive to establish a connection between the image and the body or skin part I glue onto the background, as if it still yearns to camouflage itself. This interplay between the desire to hide and the desire to be seen is a recurring motif in all the images I create.

Ambitions

Over the next five years, I aim to further intertwine my passion for tattooing with my artistic endeavors. While I'm already exploring this fusion in my current graduation project, there are countless connections yet to be uncovered. While tattooing may not immediately appear as a prominent aspect of my artistic practice, it holds significant importance for me. The themes I delve into within my art are mirrored in my tattoo work, and I always strive to infuse this distinct perspective into my creations. This connection between art and tattoos is a focal point of my future aspirations, one that I intend to nurture in the years ahead.

Learned during the studies

I've always struggled to articulate the exact essence of my work, but engaging with this project has taught me the value of allowing discovery to unfold organically through my artistic process. Through writing about my works and exploring connections to my fascinations, I've gained clarity on the underlying themes my works are trying to convey. Unlike my past works, I now embrace the idea of not overthinking the meaning beforehand. I've come to realize that the essence of my work lies within, waiting to be discovered, and this element of unpredictability adds an exciting dimension for both myself and the viewer.