All the Letters of the Alphabet

Emma-Lee Boniface
Emma-Lee Boniface
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    Inquiry question: How is the concept of the observer and the observed explored in artworks? 

    Contexts: personal and contemporary

    Media: impasto paint on photographic prints

    Focus

    The connection and harmony between external artistic control, materials, and the interwoven message will be the emphasis of my body of work. By experimenting with colours and text, I hope to produce work that disrupts and questions the viewer's perspective. Within surreal works, perspective can be implemented through organised arrangements or patterns. Using diverse colours and components in accordance with the philosophy of the eye, the boundaries between the observer and the seen become shattered. When the attention is on the observer, the discussion over whether an artwork is realistic or surreal becomes meaningless. The general feelings and thoughts created in the audience will become the primary subject of my work.

    Resolved work

    Artist Statement

    Title: All the Letters of the Alphabet

    Date: 2022

    Medium: impasto paint on photographic prints

    Scale/measurements: six A3 and a singular 100 x 70 cm

    Statement:

    All the Letters of the Alphabet explores the concept of the observed being disconnected from the observer by the absence of empathy. I aimed to illustrate the impact of social traditions in the modern and ever changing world. I decided to experiment with medium overlays of photography with conventional approaches such as painting. I chose to express my own personal overwhelming experiences throughout my time in high school. The choice of rainbow colours represents how the LGBTQ+ community is integrated with in society while the use of monochromatic self-portraits symbolise how this presence is also brushed aside and judged without nuance. Furthermore, the use of text is a direct contemporary representation of the subject’s own direct experiences.

    Resolved work - details

    Annotated illustration of resolved work

    Developing 

    • Personal context: sensory stimuli experienced by Just Not Australian exhibitions and LGBTQI+ experiences

    • Contemporary context: concept of social traditions in the modern and ever changing world. Challenges established ideas and expands the impact on the viewer experience and interpretation.

    • Exploited direct quotes gathered from real life experience, integrated with photographic display.

    • Exploring materials: digitally filtered photography with overlays of free form painting paired with bold text.

    Researching

    • Keith Haring: contemporary qualities of gay representation in the world of arts.

    • Rene Magritte: surreal use of overlaying everyday objects on parts of human bodies to communicate concept: not dependent on visuals present to viewers, but instead hidden aspects.

    • Simryn Gill: using both blocking of faces and text in photography.

    Reflecting

    • Patterns, layering and shape are organised to produce visual sensation conveying the experiences from the subjects life and time in high school.

    • Direct markings don’t conceal the subjects identity entirely allowing for vulnerability of the figure.

    • No two experiences or the impact they have on someone are identical, but connection is developed.

    • Layering to generate depth - what is hidden as more significant than what is there: personal vulnerability. Each layer represents a step forwards from the subjects physical state and further into mental.

    Supporting evidence

    References

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    Emma-Lee Boniface
    Emma-Lee Boniface
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