In her series Impeller, Petolas explores the
dynamic between human behaviour and the
progression of technology. The collection
features identical women in industrial
settings, inspired by Petolas’ admiration for
heavy machinery, electronic music and the
steampunk scene.
For Petolas, Impeller reveals our dynamic
with, and dependence on, technology. She
explores the “correlation and interaction
between humans and machines,” and the ways
in which we function in “automatic mode” as
a result of our dependency on technology.
While we rely on technology for most of
our contemporary conveniences, Petolas
maintains that machines still can’t help us
with the complicated factors that make us
human: “emotion, thought, and the inability
to control feelings.” As science strives to make
machines more human through artificial
intelligence, Petolas wonders if “humans are
becoming more like machines” through our
reliance on technology.
Yet while many of Petolas’ artistic
scenes express specific ideas, the viewers’
interpretation colours the message with
subjective projections. “I wouldn’t want to
strip viewers of their personal experience with
my artwork,” she clarifies.
For Petolas, “Art is a form of communication,”
where viewers’ perception often differs from
the artist. “This is what makes art interesting
and beautiful,” she divulges, “What is seen and
how it is interpreted is complemented with a
missing link, and that is imagination.”
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inspadesmag.com