(M)YSTERIA CITY ESCAPES 1-12
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The project was inspired by a moment in London, 30 years ago, when I in passing saw my face reflected in a mirrored window. This fleeting experience revealed a contrast between my outer appearance and inner feelings, particularly the sense of not recognizing or memorizing my own face. This moment sparked an interest in the "in-between space" of reality and reflection, which became a core theme of the work.
Techniques and Materials: Ink painting, photography, and digital techniques
The artwork combines ink painting on paper in organic grid patterns, photography, and digital processes like scanning, cropping, and superimposing.
The grid structure is key, symbolizing time, space, and embodiment, often connected to fragments of physical places (e.g., ruins) or symbolic representations (wrinkled skin, passing time).
Superimposition: Reflective images of figures are overlaid on paintings, merging the tangible with the intangible, exploring fluid identity and space.
Conceptual Foundations: Fragmentation and identity.
The work connects identity with trauma and time, drawing from the my written work WE ARE TIME to be Human, which delves into these themes.
Spatial and architectural influence: The artwork incorporates mathematical and spatial frameworks inspired by surrounding architecture, blueprints and coordinate systems, merging intellectual studies with intuition and imagination.
Ruins and mapping: The artist is attracted to ruins as metaphors for the body and use repeated gestures to map the passage of time.
The creation process begins with spontaneous, unplanned elements like accidental experiments or jotting down ideas. Over time, these elements are linked and organised into systems, creating a meaningful constellation of personal, cultural, and natural connections.
The project (M)YSTERIA, marks a new exploration for me, pushing photography further into the finished work while maintaining a visceral, material investigation of form. I aim to always embrace the fleeting, disposable nature of quick photographic moments but balances this with the technical complexity of superimposing images. This balance of fleeting moments and layered depth embodies the transient beauty and unpredictability that define the artist's vision.
CREDIT
Thank you to DEXTER ART for digital and print support. Also, thank you to THE CREATIVE HUB for advice and support on technical matters.
EXHIBITED
Not yet exhibited
©️ Camilla Howalt