Through my exhibition, I aimed to question the idea of what art is and incorporate many colours and textures in my pieces. Through my artworks, I wanted to explore the complicated issue of climate change while focusing on the ocean as it is something that I hold very close. Some inspirations behind my art include my scuba diving experiences, various artists I have come across in class, and the street art and graffiti that can be seen around London.

 

Through this exhibition, it was important to me to incorporate many unusual visuals, textures, and bright colours as I feel they heighten the composition and catch the audience’s attention. This also enabled me to explore the theme of the environment in an abstract way as I represented both the beauty of the ocean and the danger it’s under through the colour palettes and textures as they mirror oceanic scenery. Some materials I found myself using frequently include spray paint, acrylic paint, and collaged materials as they enabled me to take a more hands on approach in the creation of my artwork since there are many ways to use these materials. With acrylic paint, I discovered that you don’t just have to use paintbrushes, as I found myself using rollers, sponges, my fingers, scrunched-up paper, and any other tools I found appropriate. One technique I discovered was mixing tempera paint powder with glue and water to create a thick mixture that could be dripped over a canvas to add a slimy texture and a splash of colour.

 

Although COVID-19 meant that we could not exhibit our work physically, we had the opportunity to create an online exhibition for our work, which is what I have done. I decided to exhibit my largest artworks in the centre as I feel I was able to create a visually balanced exhibit by framing them with my smaller artworks. As all my chosen artworks heavily feature bright colours and strong textures, I feel like my exhibition compliments my pieces as it emphasises the similar aesthetics of my work. Overall, my exhibition was curated to highlight my style of art involving unexpected visuals, prominent textures, and vibrant colours, and use these to explore themes of the ocean while questioning the boundaries of art.