by Ange Bell
oil and coloured pencil on panel
h: 20 w: 15 d: 4 (cms).
My work focuses on the themes of origins and belonging and it is this concern that has formed the basis of my practice. Whether collecting and working from found photographs or, as in recent months, working from selfies taken by Instagram users. Through the act of painting I reclaim and invigorate, with added permanence and significance, a moment lost in the instant it occurred. Within the portraits there is an echo of that which is lost and sought, it speaks at times to our sense of nostalgia, and at others to our desire to be seen, recognised and valued. The act of retrieving and reviving is at the core of my practice, from the sourcing of material to the process of painting itself. I create detailed studies in oil, and through a process of working back in to the surface and exploring mark making techniques, I distort, eliminate and manipulate the image to create a visual language. I aim to create a portrait that not only captures a likeness but also has a vibrancy and depth to it as well as the desire to create a painting with which the viewer can establish a point of communication. I do not look to dictate a specific meaning through the narrative presented but rather to prompt dialogue between the subject and the viewer.
£975 (As exhibited.)
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