ARTIST STATEMENT_2
My artistic practice explores subconscious emotional states through "automatic painting," an evolution from Surrealist "automatic writing." By visually documenting fleeting emotional experiences, particularly moments of sexual climax, I delve into the intimate, non-verbal realm of body memory and subjective perception. My work intentionally challenges traditional patriarchal aesthetics of femininity, redefining the visual expression of female bodies based on authentic internal sensations rather than societal norms.
Influenced by Luce Irigaray’s notion of touch as an essential intermediary, my paintings highlight tactile and spatial inner experiences over external representations. Nietzsche’s shift from negation to affirmation underpins my transition from provocative challenges toward genuine, intuitive self-expression. Engaging with Michel Foucault's theories of subjectivity and power, I understand selfhood as a dynamic interplay of internal perceptions and external cultural forces. Likewise, Rosi Braidotti's affirmative ethics informs my approach to subjectivity as fluid, diverse, and creatively expressive.
Through the expressive rawness of German Neo-Expressionism, my automatic paintings vividly convey primal emotional states and confrontational authenticity. Ultimately, my work serves as a critical reflection on individual embodiment within complex societal structures, continuously redefining and affirming my subjective experience and identity as a woman.
About Unit 3
Workshop Plan: Unspoken Sensations - A Journey Beyond Language
Conceptual Introduction:
This workshop explores subconscious and tactile expression, drawing from concepts such as "The Mediation of Touch" and surrealist automatic writing. Participants will immerse themselves in tactile sensations, deliberately bypassing familiar visual and linguistic frameworks. Inspired by "Statische Meditation I (1951)," this practice highlights introspection, emphasizing authenticity and sincere self-exploration. Through tactile engagement and spontaneous, irrational creative expression, participants move beyond traditional sensory hierarchies, discovering unique, subconscious-derived forms of personal "languages."
Workshop Activities:
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Participants will interact intuitively and non-visually with handmade tactile stress-relief balls to stimulate subconscious sensory awareness.
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They will then express their tactile experiences through intuitive, visual representations using colors and spontaneous markings without rational analysis.
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Participants will further document their experiences through non-rational methods such as creating spontaneous Dada poetry or abstract metaphors.
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Sharing and dialogue will follow, allowing participants to articulate their experiences using their newly formed subconscious-based expressive methods.
Reflection:
This practice challenges traditional visual and linguistic perceptions, offering profound opportunities for self-discovery through tactile awareness. Participants are guided into an authentic dialogue with their subconscious, expanding their self-awareness and exploring deeper authenticity within their personal expressions.
Works Cited:
Breton, André. "Manifestoes of Surrealism." Translated by Richard Seaver and Helen R. Lane, University of Michigan Press, 1972.
Irigaray, Luce. "An Ethics of Sexual Difference." Cornell University Press, 1993.
Richter, Hans. "Dada: Art and Anti-Art." Thames & Hudson, 1997.
Rothko, Mark. "Statische Meditation I, 1951." Artwork.
Touch and Affect: Theorizing the Mediation of Touch in Visual Culture. Eds. Lisa Blackman and Couze Venn, Routledge, 2010.