Experimenting with layers using Chila Burman as an influence

Since I have been combining several techniques, I thought that it would be beneficial for me to experiment using layers, for example with newspaper. As my holiday in Barcelona was such big milestone for me - my first abroad holiday without my parents - I wanted to bring this into my work. I have done this by collaging photographs from this holiday with newspaper and a magazine that I got from the trip to London. These three media forms all link to my experiences, having collected them on the way. I have tried to use these in a way that portrays my theme of 'Kafkaesque' and the idea of escapism. I have taken influence from one of my artists, Chila Burman, as much of her work is based around collage and her own experiences. Throughout Burman’s work, the effect of her experience is clear and I want to try and replicate this striking idea,

Here I have collaged the materials I have mentioned above. I began with tearing sections of newspaper and sticking them in the background, these pieces offer some tonal representation to the composition due to the black text. I have layered pieces of magazine over this which have a smoother texture than the newspaper as the paper is glossier. This means that the tonal representation seems looks raw in terms of an earthy material and so creates a rough texture. Whereas the magazine looks modern, current and manufactured to produce perfection. These two mediums provide a contrast between someone’s rough thoughts versus their cleaner finished routes of escapism, for example a hobby. In the centre, I have collaged a photograph of a company filming in the evening, where they had bright white screens to illuminate the setting. There is a vivid contrast between the dark night and the white screens which reflect the two personas of a person that is battling with depression and attempting to portray a bright self. I have added hazy white chalk marks over the top of this to show the fragility and temporary nature of someone's outer fascade.

I have printed my photographs of a landscape on Barcelona in black and white and also enlarged them to slightly distort their realistic nature. The one I have used in this composition is of a tree which appears quite eary when you can only see the tone. This juxtaposes the reality of the blue sky and green leaves and suggests how different people see the world- situations may be Kafkaesque to some and not others. I have tried to capture the contrast between this and an individual's route of escapism by transferring in image of a piece of graffiti over the top - art being a way that helps people to divert their thoughts. I didn't add any pieces of magazine to this composition as I wanted the transfer to be the only glossy texture in it to truly capture the contrast between a person's dull interior and sugar-coated exterior.