Aanya

By presenting this body of work, I am aiming to communicate two aspects of my identity to the audience, in both an observational presentation as well as aiming to connect with the audience. The topics within my artwork are not always uncommon or unusual for people to experience, but I aimed to present them in an unusual manner, combining my love for the horror genre with these feelings and thoughts, especially when it comes to the ones to do with identity. The combination of horror and identity is integral to my works of art and my exhibition; in a way, the aspects of identity that I am presenting are monstrous in concept to me, and are therefore presented in a monstrous setting that have in part been influenced by film techniques seen in the horror genre, as well as the general setting of macabre art.

The motif of the body itself is seen in all my pieces; after all, the body itself is a huge part of identity and more often than not influences how people view themselves. For me, another connection that has significance in mind is the link between religious imagery and physical imagery, best represented by flesh and blood. To strengthen this connection in my mind, all bodily figures drawn are referenced from images of myself. Most, if not all, of these figures are cut off or cut into in some form or another. Inspired by Nicola Samori and his work questioning classical representation, his usage of scalpels in order to peel away layers of a painting until the raw material was left behind, and the grim artistry itself, I focused on those raw, stripped elements of art, especially in pieces such as Your Slaughterhouse, Your Killing Floor. Using harsh strokes and blending techniques meant to mimic oil paintings on the bodies, I wanted to replicate the exposed feeling that I would feel when discussing the subjects of my artwork with others that are not privy to my feelings.

Through spreading the artwork in a room that is harshly lit apart from the pieces, the method of exhibition contributes to the deeply personal nature of the art. Having the pieces be physically further away from each other forces the audience to have to walk through the exhibition area and only view one piece at a time. There is no set order to how the pieces are presented; viewers can start wherever they like. Through these two methods, the audience is able to see both the connection between the pieces and the isolating nature of the topic of the art. The lighting of the artwork and the room combine to both be reminiscent of the lighting in horror movies, and to also illustrate the illuminating, harshly exposed nature of the artwork.

Self Portrait, 2021 / Notes on the Human Form
Digital

The disconnect of a form represented bluntly, symbolic of my detachment with the body. The accompaniment of poetry with art gives the viewer more to think on than just the piece, mainly on the connection between idea and identity. Freeform poetry allows reading at one’s own pace & interpretation, creating a disconnect between artist and audience. The pop art—a style meant to blur boundaries & borrow from all styles of art—of the piece is representative of the blurred notion of a disconnection.

Homecoming
Digital

Internal conflict between myself and my faith has something that has always weighed on me. My own lack of dependence and trust leaves me unsteady, stumbling in the dark. The hidden figure of the wings and eyes in the background are representative of the hidden nature of my own belief, while the composition reflects traditional gothic artistry seen in cathedrals. A mirrored hallway of the image of home is indicative of the lack of clarity when it comes to paths chosen in life.

Body & Blood
Digital
This piece is based on a fascination for the glorification of suffering in faith. The red hands in prayer symbolise the elevation of suffering, & that faith despite suffering is the strongest way to believe. The inkblot on the priest’s body & partially hidden under its clothes is reminiscent of a Rorschach inkblot, representing how people cannot look past the surface in order to find their own meaning. I am both the body and the priest, as I partake in this while also having it affect me.

Your Slaughterhouse, Your Killing Floor
Digital
Daily life brings contact with different people and dynamics every day. I learnt how to present myself as appealing to others by cutting away pieces of myself & presenting ‘favourable’ traits, denying who I am in the process. The slaughterhouse is reflective of multiple forms & how I cut and stitch parts of myself so I can fit in. Only the bodies are painted realistically, as this action of self-denial is real to me, but invisible to others—making it an intangible, liminal area.

La Pietà
Digital
A piece about self-sacrifice in a non-physical sense, La Pietà mourns the loss of parts of myself that I held dear. Whether it’s because of growing out of an age, an adaptation to a new environment, or simply a loss to time, I can’t help but miss previous versions of me. The composition is borrowed from the religious piece known as the pieta, a piece that symbolises pity and compassion, a sorrowful contemplation of loss. The skeletons represent past versions of myself that have been left to rot.

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