ABOUT
RECOGNITION
THE PRINCIPLES OF RECOGNITION
1. Hypothesis
"The more connected we are to a subject the more it can be abstracted and retain recognition."
- RECOGNITION
Connections are believed to be built in three principle ways:
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A) Emotionally charged personal experiences. This can be a one off experience or built over time.
B) Consistent interaction with a place
C) Overexposure through media and other stimuli
2. The Reveal
For my work to to test the theory, I want to firstly engage people with the subject. From observations in galleries, I noticed people often read the names and details as/before they truly look at a piece, potentially using the context to inform their perspective of the artwork.
As such I hide/remove the subject of the piece, for viewers to reveal the title when they have engaged with the work. There are two desired outcomes of this:
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A) This is to create that 'ah ha' moment of realization and understanding as the piece is given new meaning.
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B) Conversely, people who guessed the subject of the piece get a small dopamine hit when their suspicions are confirmed as correct.
Owners of pieces therefore hold a power, in choosing as/when/if to share the subject's identity with others.
3. Personalisation
In my map based work, I encourage owners of pieces to hang them in the configuration and orientation they wish, or even not to hang some elements.
This is to relinquish control of the artwork and let them be a part of the final piece. Through this they may make the test of recognition harder/easier for others.
ABOUT THE ARTIST RECOGNITION
RECOGNITION is a queer, neurodivergent artist from London, England.
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The name RECOGNITION has multiple purposes. Firstly it helps signify the intent of the work to those viewing pieces - see the Theory principle above.
Secondly, the name alludes to the concept of celebration and giving subjects the credit they deserve for their importance to an individual or society.
Finally, having ADHD means I have constant new ideas and impulses to act on them. This name acts as a constant reminder of direction and artistic intent, to help me focus and resist going off track.
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WHY THE MASK?
The mask isn't always worn, however with art often being all consuming, wearing a mask can let me create personal/professional boundaries, let people focus on the artwork and not me as a person, and act as a coping mechanism in overwhelming situations.
HOW I MAKE MY ARTWORK
Aiming for people's enjoyment coming from their connection to the subject, I seek to reduce my imprint on the artwork.
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I do this by using developed techniques to remove brushstrokes, using bright, block colours to bring life to the 'flat' texture of paintings and screen prints I create.
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Artwork comes in the form of maps, silhouettes, and representations of subjects. On occasion some works may have handwritten calligraphy on top, with short phrases about the nature or history of the subject acting as clues as to the identity of the work.
