Bachelor in Creative Practice Degree End Exhibition
CURRENT PRACTITIONERS
Mohau Modisakeng
South African Contemporary Artist
Modisakeng is a god! His stalk and confronting images littered with deep semiotics are hauntingly beautiful.
His works discuss the deeply embedded history of slave culture from Africa and neocolonialism as a result of English rule heavily throughout the 19th century.
The thing that strikes me the most about his work is the deliberate use of both himself as the central figure as well as his ability to create intense images with bare minimalism. Modisakeng’s photos are heavily loaded. The visceral response they demand from the viewer is immense and powerful. Something I hope to emulate through my own works.
“What is it to be visible in everyday life, yet invisible and disregarded at the level of cultural, political or economic representation?” Mohau Modisakeng, 2017
Pati Solomina Tyrell
New Zealand based Pacifica multimedia artist.
Working predominantly in film, Tyrell works within the pacifica and LGBT community. His work discusses sexuality, identity and multi ethnicity within his community and its impact within society.
His use of lighting is exquisite. Optimising shadows he carefully curates his lighting points to highlight form with delicately balanced precision.
Dramatic color boldly slaps you about the face., Punching the images into surreal like qualities. This has perhaps been his biggest influence on my own work, Only seconded by his attention to detail.
Mimicking the sharp eyed masters such as da Vinci, Tyrell is a genius with his placement of models.
His work is unapologetic and authentically him. Something I am constantly striving to achieve within my own aesthetic.
Tyrell’s work is laden with symbolism and deep cultural ties, rich in heritage of imagery. This is something I wish to push myself to do as I further explore my own lineage and pacific roots.
Alex Grant
Canadian Contemporary Figurative Op Artist I actually work really hard to formulate ideas BEFORE looking at research. I know this sounds counter productive but let me explain.
I hate the idea of having other people's work influence my own, I want to be able to examine an idea and know within myself that its developed from my own imagination, rather than being guided by something I have seen. I choose rather to rough formulate and then look for substantiation through references.
After doing my “Grateful Addiction” series last year (the first of my optic disfiguration work), I saw an insurgence of this movement (now known as Contemporary Figurative Optical Art). Alex Garant is one of the pioneers of this form.
Her images force unease within the viewers optical reaction. Creating disarray in the brain from the inability to focus on singular point.
Its an effect that I find particularly drawn to. It evokes a sense of surreal frenzie.
I love this tie that it creates for me artistically within discussing mental health and the deeper implications of cause. Feeding into the layered symbolism if the effect is accompanied by other subject matter such as identity and disconnection.
Juliana Kasumu
Juliana Kasumu uses conscious imagery to highlight the interconnectivity of women, culture, and fashion. Her subject matter is chosen based on a quest for personal knowledge concerning issues related to Africa and its Diaspora.
By interweaving cultural research and stunning portraitures, she is able to express critical ideas with the intent of education. Using her art as a process of self exploration and healing.
Her images and raw and poignantly play upon diverted gaze, classical referencing of feminine form and shadow play.
Through this she is able to capture black culture and interject messaging with subliminal delicate subtlety.
David Uzochukwu
Austrian Photographer
At 15 Uzochukwu was contributing to Wonderland, Numero, Nike and Vogue and exhibited across the globe. Known for his moody surreal images Uzochukwu’s sense of tonal palette and understanding of light, transforms photographical pieces into otherworldly landscapes. He forces upon the viewer not just the underlying messaging but screaming effigy of his own inner projections towards the subject matter.
Self taught Uzochukwu’s images are exquisite, blurring borders of reality and fiction with stark delicacy.
His understanding of capturing emotion with lens is beyond parallel. He discusses subject matter such as Diaspora, environmental destruction with a sophistication to aspire to.