Screen prints, layers and photography
In the past, I experimented extensively with the screen printing process, which required me to think deeply about layering and the way I build an artwork. In painting, layers develop in real time, allowing for spontaneous decisions to be made. However, creating a photographic print demands a more deliberate mental visualisation of the final piece before execution.
The process of making a photographic screenprint requires a different set of boundaries. For example, the choice of colours, layering, and the kind of screen you use. I've explored this way of thinking about layers for several years.
The concept of layering fascinates me. Layers can be transparent; they can interact with and influence each other, and they form a fundamental part of visual art. But layering extends beyond the visual—it exists in storytelling, in abstract thought, and in the way we perceive complex ideas. When I make a sculptural work, I think and design in layers. In terms of the material I'm working with, I'm subtracting and adding elements. And conceptually trying to create a visualisation of mental spaces that reside in our society.
I've spent the last few years exploring photography in the function of making an artwork. Learning the basics, etc, I'm still learning. For me, photography is the foundation of my artistic practice. It is a tool to observe, explore and capture images that inspire me. It is a tool that most of us have at our disposal. I use to create material that I use as a starting point to create an artwork.
Purpose
The purpose of those works is to invite the viewer to engage with the thought process behind them. I want to visualise the relationships that we have with our environment. The relationship that our body has with the external world. While it's true that my paintings can also be influenced by my surroundings, they begin with a personal, internal feeling. In contrast, my sculptural work is grounded in the connectivity of society. This approach requires a more fluid and experimental methodology.
My approach to my paintings and sculptural work is experimental. But of course, the dimensionality of the work is where the difference lies in the sculptural part of my practice. I combine different elements to create a more layered story.
I've titled this page "sculptural" rather than "sculptures" because I want to emphasise the process rather than the final product. When you read this, feel free to interpret "sculptural" in a broader sense, beyond just working with materials like clay or wood. While it may resemble sculpture, it isn't necessarily one. Instead, it leans more toward the realm of art installations. So why not call this page "art installations"? I've chosen not to because I want to showcase this as a process—one where I add and subtract elements to shape the story I want to tell or the feeling I wish to evoke. "Sculptural" feels more fitting for this approach, as it aligns with how I approach the work, much like I would a sculpture.
