Art enhances life?

Under white clouds, white snow is falling on a white mountain.

These dual embroideries were created in response to the dialogue between the three friends  on the meaning of the white canvas, in Yasmina Reza’s play ‘Art’.

To create the pieces I began with a white on white scene inspired by the quote from  the character Yvan, when he reveals that he actually liked the white canvas by Artois, and that it inspired feelings in him; he argues that there is a “system” at work behind the piece. The system or imagery that I first laid down is then made less invisible by placing a piece of waste plastic ‘lace’ over the image.

In both pieces, debate between what is visible and invisible and what has meaning battles on and was keenly felt in its creation. Overworking and underworking areas with stitching and sewing and ripping back until I achieved that moment of meaning and meaninglessness that I had set out to articulate. Inspired by lacemaking and lace curtains this challenges the viewer to find meaning in the surface pattern but leaves the original system visible in parts. There are many images and scenes sewn beneath each layer that are now forever lost to the viewer and only exist in my memories of making the pieces. Fabric, remnants of threads and netting keep the elements of this artwork: like the friendships in the play in place.