In my latest body of work I am looking specifically at the concept of interpretation. I have been exploring this in particular through the use of text and medium, examining modern culture through the world of the internet. Appropriating excerpts from contemporary life, I am able to re- contextualise a text that may be trivial and weightless, possibly giving it a new significance or sense of importance. I question ideas of value and meaning, through the aesthetic exploration of text, while my main interest lies in bringing together these binary oppositions in a visual format, conflicting the old with the new.
In looking at the idea of interpretation in my work I have been influenced by many things. I am attracted to religious icons and ancient manuscripts. I admire the delicate use of gold and the beauty of the differing styles which also incorporates the use of text in an interesting way. An artist that also uses these qualities in a beautiful way is Roger Mortimer, who takes a contemporary view on ancient manuscripts, mixing the mundane with antiquity. As a person that loves humour, I am also intrigued by the text based works by the artists Christopher Wool (b.1955) and Richard Prince (b.1949). Both artists create text based works that are aesthetically interesting, but in deciphering them create humour. Part of my art involves the process of deciphering. To decipher and interpret, the viewer can be involved in a process that brings them closer to the artwork, engaging them on a more personal level. This can be closely related to the theory of semiotics, which I have taken an interest in, looking in particular at the thoughts of the philosopher and writer Umberto Eco (b. 1932).
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