“The duty of an artist is to connect [themselves] to social change, to bear responsibility, to be a part of the change” Ai Weiwei, 2018.
My practice focuses on bringing politics into public spaces, with the aim of normalising discussions around this topic. ‘Invading’ these spaces by adding objects that blend in with the surroundings, I embed political messages in plain sight.
Importantly, however, my practice is not an attempt to antagonise or demonise, as this could anger the viewer and subsequently hinder rational thinking. Instead, by encouraging an initial thinking process and eliciting reflection on personal and wider political attitudes, my practice seeks to protest indifference and ignorance.
To ‘invade’ the degree show exhibition itself, my work occupies the ‘in-between spaces’, manifesting as exhibition marketing spread across the entire degree show. With each item discussing its own area of political thought, the work will allow for multiple points of reflection.
To make my activist artwork authentically and candidly my voice, I progressed into an handmade practice, creating as many of the elements at each stage of the process as possible. Meticulously hand engraving, drawing and cutting my works, the text created is what converts the objects into art. This use of text aims to make the audience read and engage with the work, subsequently engaging them in political discussions. As I innately have privilege, the text used is directly influenced by the continuous political research I undergo to keep myself informed.
The Intercede Exhibition Welcome Banner was inspired by my own research into refugees. Investigating the foundations of International and UK refugee law in the 1951 Refugee Convention, the 1967 Protocol and the subsequent UK 2022 Nationality and Borders Act, I parodied the near impossible caveat that people seeking asylum face.
The meticulous nature of my work is also found at the beginning of its physical creation, with careful planning and calculations ensuring a polished manufactured finish.
Leading up to my final project, I aimed to gain skills over multiple disciplines, focusing on those I thought would be most useful in replicating manufactured items. Two skills that I became proficient in were hand engraving with a dremel and rug tufting. I enjoyed the challenge of executing these skills to rival their mass produced counterparts, hoping to make the viewer second guess the origin of their creation.
“Be more involved. Take responsibility. Provide yourself opportunities at the same time that you provide opportunities to others”. Ai Weiwei, 2018
If you would like to know more about me and my practice, please feel free to get in touch via email or Instagram (links found at the top).
