Julia Quilici

Curatorial Rationale

This exhibition was designed to explore and showcase my personal connections to specific

ideas, concepts, and experiences. These themes range from lighthearted thoughts about

childhood and nature, to my expression of creativity, to contemplations of mortality and death.

All of these works are based on my own opinions and experiences, which is the overarching

thread between the works. Some of these works are influenced more by my memories and

interpretations of the past, such as Moving and Picnic, while others are more direct reflections of

my present thoughts or experiences, such as Storyteller Self Portrait or Workspace, and some

are motivated by my hopes or fears for the future, such as Black String and Childhood. I wanted

this exhibition to be an opportunity for me to explore my thoughts and connections in a visual

medium and to give people a window into my thought processes, memories, and experiences.

However, I also intended this exhibition to be a chance for the audience to consider their

thoughts about different concepts and compare their point of view to my own.

My vision for this exhibition was originally driven by self portraiture. I was inspired by Cindy

Sherman’s use of costumes to portray herself as different characters when I created Storyteller

Self Portrait, which became one of the fundamental works in my exhibition. As my body of work

evolved, I began to use more still life photography. I was inspired by Paulette Tavormina’s

attention to color theory, which I drew upon for Moving and Workspace.

I chose to use digital photography for this exhibition so that I could capture scenes that were set

in real life, and thus had the realism and detail that could not be easily achieved through other

mediums. Digital photography allows me to have large amounts of creative control over the

editing process, which gives me the chance to more accurately translate my vision to the final

work. A few of these works have shared themes, such as Black String and Red String which

both explore my connection to death and mortality. Those works, as well as Family Portrait, use

colored yarn as a strong visual metaphor for the connections and emotions I was illustrating.

I used a combination of still lifes, portraits, and self portraits in this exhibition. I arranged my

artworks so that the works with similar content or themes were nearby each other, and so that

the two that I considered to be most integral, Storyteller Self Portrait and Childhood, were larger

than the others. The photos follow a more natural progression through ideas instead of harshly

jumping back and forth. For example, Red String and Black String are placed together, as are

Childhood, Family Portrait, and Picnic. I wanted the viewer to be able to take their time and

comfortably experience each piece without being forced to move to the next one. However, I

used the directionality of the works to provide a path for the viewers attention through the

exhibition. This is a digital exhibition as opposed to being presented in a physical room. This

was largely due to restrictions from the Pandemic, but provides an opportunity nonetheless. A

digital exhibition means that my works are more accessible to a wide audience via the internet,

and can be viewed more easily than if they were presented in a physical location.

Black String

This photograph was designed to show my connection to my own mortality. The pandemic has made me more aware of risk, and as I get older and find myself thinking about my future, I sometimes end up thinking about those concepts. In the photo, I am standing in dark clothes pulling against black yarn that ties me to a pale gravestone amidst dead/dying leaves and other graves, showing that death is inescapable. While that is scary, it is not abstract or hard to define.

Childhood

This photographic still life shows my connection to aging and “growing up.” I have always said that I never want to grow up all the way; I always want to continue holding onto fun and childlike joy. In the photo, a work bag, a pair of shoes, and some papers are abandoned below colorfully painted steps that lead up a tree. This photo expresses my desire to continue to have fun and my hope that I can leave adult concepts behind at points in my future.

Family Portrait

In the photo, my family sits, smiling, for a staged portrait, draped in loose lines of yellow, orange, white, and tan yarn. They are holding knitting needles. This photo is representative of my connections to my family. I feel very lucky to say that I love my family deeply and I enjoy spending time with them. I wanted this photo to reflect that we are close in a way that some would consider unrealistic or staged, and we don’t feel restricted or like we wish we didn’t have to be with each other.

Moving

This photo explores my connection to moving and changing location. I moved several times as a kid and I am facing a large move in the near future when I transition to college. In the photo a car full of boxes is parked on a rainy day. The driver's seat is empty, but the seat belt is buckled. The windows are fogged, making it hard to see. I want to show the uncertainty of moving, and how it can make you question who you are and who you want to be.

Picnic

This photo portrays my connection to nature. I love being outside, and I take ordinary activities, like reading or playing music, outside when I can. In the photo, a collection of items are laid on a picnic blanket under a large oak tree. This picture shows the peace and joy that can come from being outside, under a tree. The swing hanging from the tree symbolizes childhood, and shows how nature has been part of my life for more than just the present times.

Red String

This photo explores my connection to the mortality of others. I lost my grandmother to the pandemic, and it has sparked hard conversations in my family and made me process my own relationship with this concept. In the photo, I am leaning against a gravestone at the base of an overgrown tree. I am wearing dark clothes and holding a skein of red yarn that is wrapped around the gravestone. The red yarn alludes to The Fates and the Red String of Fate that is present in various mythologies.

Storyteller Self Portrait

This photo is designed to show my connections to storytelling and escapism. I love stories, whatever form they come in. I will dive into other worlds as a form of escaping from this one, and I really enjoy the process of creating and telling a story. In the photo, I am sitting amid piles of books wearing a dress with black calligraphy squiggles. I have a map painted on my hands and a pencil behind my ear. This photo portrays how I view myself as a writer, world builder, and storyteller.

Workspace

This photo portrays my connection to my workspace, and how my thoughts and creativity express themselves. When I brainstorm or think my ideas are messy and excited as opposed to my usual calm organization. In the photo, a white desk holds a laptop and a collection of other office supplies and notebooks in shades of blue. A legal pad in front of the computer is covered with yellow and gold swirls that spill onto the desk. This photo shows how messy creativity and organization can coexist.

My final arranged gallery

Back to 2nd Period

Page updated

Report abuse