Emma
Project 1
Emma’s Project 1 was developed in response to the starting point ‘Broken’. Her initial inspiration came from a broken shoe found on a beach, which led her to discover the work of documentary photographer Shannon Jensen. In particular, Emma was drawn to her series A Long Walk, in which Jensen had travelled to refugee camps to photograph the worn and tattered shoes of civilians fleeing conflict. Emma was struck by how such a simple, everyday object could communicate the weight of such a complex and emotive subject. This inspired her to explore the refugee crisis further, considering how she could use her own work as an artist to raise awareness of social and political issues. Throughout the project, Emma experimented with different approaches to creating visually impactful artwork that would capture the viewer’s attention and communicate a powerful message. Her research included participating in protests and investigating how text, imagery and colour are used in protest signs and posters. She also explored the power of public art as a means of reaching a wider audience, experimenting with placing her own artwork in public spaces.
“As part of my research I decided to take part in a peace vigil. When I was at the protest I saw that people had bought with them signs with images of displaced people in Gaza accompanied by powerful words and statistics. One man had even bought a colourful tapestry with the words ‘peace’ and this inspired me to think about how imagery and text can be used to create powerful and thought provoking Art”
Project 2
Emma’s Project 2 was developed in response to the starting point ‘Woman’, drawing inspiration from the inspiring women across different generations of her own family. Through exploring her family history, Emma uncovered stories and connections that informed the development of her work. For example, discovering that her great-great-grandmother had been a fashion illustrator inspired her to experiment with incorporating textiles and fabric into her artwork, creating a connection between her own creative practice and that of her ancestor. Emma also explored the use of symbolism within her work, including red stitching to represent the bonds between the women in her family and the connections that unite them across generations.
“I conducted an interview with my Grandma to understand more about the women in my family history. This interview allowed me to learn about my Great Grandmother’s interest in fashion illustration which led me to explore how women connect with fashion”
