Relief

Making Process - Newsflash

Title: Newsflash
Media: collage relief on canvas with foam core, newspaper,
card, metal bolts, metal screws, scrap metal, acrylic paint and silicon

This artwork explores how following international current affairs can be a source of anguish and anxiety. 

The head was constructed using 16 pieces of foam core. A self-portrait was traced so that lighter areas were enclosed in map-like shapes. These shapes relate to my international theme.  The tracing was transferred to a piece of foam core and the pieces were cut out. They were layered and painted. 

The sky background was made by sticking war headlines from Greek, English, French and Spanish newspapers (eg. International Herald, Kathimerini etc.) on a 60 x 40 cm canvas. Multilingual newspaper headlines highlight the global, rapid nature of modern media. 

The city skyline background was made out of foam core, painted grey. The colour choice enhances the theme of ugliness, suggesting a sense of entrapment in megalopolises. It does not distract from the brightly-coloured human form. Scrap metal pieces, such as bolts, screws, nails and wrenches, were stuck on the foam-core with silicon. Rusted metal alludes to the arms trade, which acts to sustain foreign conflict. 

Title: Self-portrait (used as a basis for Newsflash) Medium: watercolour and oil pastel on card

Title: Tracing of Self Portrait Medium: coloured pencil and pen on tracing paper

Above: foam-core sheet being cut to create the different layers in Newsflash

Above: Foam core cutouts for Newsflash

Above: Newsflash before painting