Sara Bessel
I chose to focus on the concept of distortion throughout this course . Although when starting off I was unsure where the topic could lead me , I am pleased with how my artwork developed . My first idea was distorted figures , relating to the human form and reflections . Distortions have the power to create ambiguity about the true nature and identity of the figure . This illuminates how powerful and unique our perception can be . Our schemas passively influence our judgement , and even they can interpret something differently each time . My artwork has elements that are open for interpretation , which I believe allows each observer to connect with it through their personal perception . I wanted to create work with multiple elements and layers of complexity , relating to the idea that sometimes one needs to take a step back and look at something for longer , in order to explore , understand and immerse oneself in the details of life .
To start , I used oil pastels and line drawings to explore nature imagery , in particular light and its reflection on the water ’ s surface in combination with the human form . After a while , as I became more drawn to the human figure , I decided to focus on facial features . The saying ‘ Die Augen sind das Fenster zur Seele ’ roughly translates to ‘ the eyes are the window to the soul ’, and was something that resonated with me during this process . I wanted to use this chance to reflect on how our emotions are reflected in our expressions , despite being something highly intimate .