Artist Statement
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| Crusta Petrosa, 2002. |
The natural world is comprised of elements that form distinct and perceptible patterns. Both ordered and chaotic in structure, these patterns embody elements of time, space and chance. The organisation and layering of these patterns generates inner structures that form the basis of my work. Using photography, drawing, printmaking and installation I create works of art exploring issues of human complexity.
As a daughter of a physician, I was exposed to medical imagery at an early age. Paging through medical journals I was quickly drawn to such things as microscopic images of cell divisions to the surgical reconstruction of damaged tissues. Medical and clinical imagery can serve to both document a person's struggle with illness as well as illustrate physiological relationships of damage to repair and growth to development. These ideas led to my interest in exploring issues of complexity within the context of the inner workings of the human body. My work transitions between macro- and microcosmic worlds referring to ideas surrounding the scientific process in which investigation of minute subunits is integral to understanding the whole picture.
The images I create through printmaking are composed of numerous layers generated from photography, drawing and digital imagery. The process of layering is essential for developing richness in colour, texture and depth. I use the contrast between darkness and light to create abstractions of space representing inner worlds within us. My representation of these worlds does not rest solely on their physical or structural elements. Rather, they are forms that embody the intricate, complex nature relevant to understanding our own unique histories of emotional states, mental conditionings and spiritual journeys.
My current work initiated nearly three years ago during my studies at Edinburgh College of Art. Surprisingly, the move to Edinburgh itself has had a remarkable influence on my art. The interplay of the intense light and darkness throughout the year with Edinburgh's gothic architecture can often create or reveal hidden worlds within the closes, alleys and streets of the city. This interaction of darkness and light is intrinsic to my work and undoubtedly reflects the impact of Edinburgh on my perceptions. The interplay of light with Edinburgh's buildings also has a direct connection to the creation of my prints. Using digital photography I capture light from the rising and setting sun as it is reflected by old windowpanes throughout my flat. These projections generate seemingly random, yet ordered patterns of light strongly resembling forms present in the natural world; i.e. molecular, cellular and/or anatomical architecture.
By incorporating computer manipulation in some instances, a lack of clear, defined origin creeps in posing questions to the viewer: Is this part of the inner workings of the human body? Could this be some new life form? Or perhaps some celestial body from space? The ambiguities surrounding my images evoke a sense of memory in which the subject appears to be something recognizable yet never fully realized. This leaves the viewer to question the source of the image thereby enabling them to put forth their own interpretation.
Sarah Sanford