Wednesday, May 11, 2016

MARIANNE LACLE IB Visual Arts 2016 Lincoln School Costa Rica















The Artist Statement
by Marianne Lacle


 In the process of my studio work I went through different stages until I connected my art works with a meaningful theme. For me, it was really challenging to focus my own art with one central theme that united the significance of my artworks. At the beginning, I thought that the connection between my artworks was going to be using the same technique developed in all my pieces. Nevertheless, I wanted to explore more techniques and find a theme that related to all my artworks and one that did not limit the number of techniques used. After the analysis and thoughts about creating a theme I finally developed one. My central theme is the stress and chaos in ones life balanced with calmness and peace, which shows hope in times of desperation. This clearly shows that one, cannot work without the other because they balance each other and create unity. This idea, is also present in my artworks, but in really different ways. I got inspired by the work overload I have been up to this last semester, which made me feel overwhelmed to a point in which I felt sick. Then I started exercising more and organising my time better, which helped me relax and find peace and create balance between both forces. This idea subconsciously affected the creation of my artworks and one day I realised this central theme was reflected in all my pieces.

            In some of my artworks, I used a similar technique, which inspired me in the process, and also reflected the central theme. My first artwork was an elephant with mixed media, and then developed other artworks with this specific technique.This technique consisted in mixing 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of water and boiled it for 5 minutes. Then, I added 1 cup of glue, and stir it until the texture had good form. This was the starting point of the artworks in which I used this single technique, but from this point, it was different in each piece. I used this texture to show the stress I live with day to day, but then I used certain elements that created balance and unity in my artworks,. Some of this elements that act as the opposing force to this stress are the elephant and the foot in two of my artworks in which I developed this technique. The way both of the artworks were resolved, was totally different but they both reflected the central theme and had the same technique.


            In contrast, I had many artworks that had nothing to do with this technique, but rather with elements that referenced back to the theme, but was not as evident. One of my artworks that is a perfect example are my photographs in which I used light to convey chaos and stress, and the the human being behind the portrayed light reflected calmness and tranquility. This photographs were complex and well-thought because they were taken with a specific purpose and meaning. With some pieces, I was able to get inspired after the development of them, but with this specific artwork, I already had a central theme to connect it to, which somehow made my testing more difficult. Also, the arrangement of my artworks was well-thought because some of my artworks needed something really complex for the exhibition, and others just one single frame. The positioning of my artworks was also really important because it all depended on the details each artwork consisted on. Some pieces were greatly appreciated from far distance, but others had details that were captured at close range.

            Lastly, there is a clear relationship between the artworks and the viewers because the central theme creates a connection between the feelings of the viewers and the artwork itself. They are able to appreciate the artworks with a certain inspiration and guidance in order to make them feel connected or relatable with the exhibition as a whole. My purpose is to make the viewers catch the essence of my work being, the juxtaposition of two opposite forces: balance and stress.




Self-I  by Marianne Lacle
Oil on canvas 27.9 x 35.6

My self-portrait was a challenge throughout the process, and one that required a lot of details. I realised that the type of lines I used, unconsciously determine the inner stress I live with. In
many of my artworks, I found this connection of reflecting my temperament in my pieces, which at the end was my intention towards my whole investigation.





Rib-Tie  by Marianne Lacle
Linocut print 102 x 71 x cms



Rib-Tie  by Marianne Lacle
Linocut print 102 x 71 x cms
(close up)


For this artwork,I got inspiration from a drawing I  did in my IW at the beginning of the year. The negative space conveys the stressful force by using bright colours drawn in a certain path. The
contrasting elements are the ribs on top of the negative space, which show a representation of life
conveying a positive force. These two forces create balance to the composition because of the contrasting meaning and colours used.





Mad cow by Marianne Lacle
Mixed media. 81 x 46 cms

With reference with my previous work, I decided to use an old cardboard which I knew had potential to work with. My intention was to connect it with the same idea of two forces complementing each other, which was successfully appreciated in the work. The texture implemented stress, as in other works, and the cow was the element that balanced this stress weight. Also, the black marker used in the contour line of the cow was present in the background, showing a connection between the texture and the element.






Foot print by Marianne Lacle
Mixed media. 61 x 31 cms


This artwork was one of my last pieces, and it was inspired by the technique used in my work called “Elephant in a room”. I realised this was a significant moment in my progress due to the fact that I used my own artwork to get inspiration from. My purpose was to imply that the texture was a floor, which lookspainful to walk in.The element that balanced this force was the foot on top showing rest and calmness and they work together effectively.






Elephant in a room by Marianne Lacle
Mixed media. 42 x 52 cms



This artwork inspired me to do other artworks with mixed media and using an element that balanced it. I used an old canvas with some textures and then develop upon it adding my own homemade impastos. The texture of the background shows chaos and stress, and the elephant brings calmness and tranquility. The contrast between both elements give balance to the artwork and reflect my overall theme, being the juxtaposition of balance and stress.




Light lines by Marianne Lacle
Digital Photography. 30 x 46 cms

This photographs were both inspired by the artwork of Jeremy Geddes, “A perfect Vacuum” in thesuspension of the subject, which shows calmness. On the other hand, I was inspired by Picasso’swork, of light drawing and also Wassilly Kandinsky’s artwork, “Transverse Line”. This use of light suggests a chaotic and stressful environment. Nevertheless, it balances with the subject suspended in time, like avoiding the tension produced by the light.





Balance Elements by Marianne Lacle
Ceramics and acrylic paints

This was my last artwork, and one that represents my central theme effectively. The element on the top
represents balance, tranquility and peace, while the element on the bottom shows stress and discomfort.
My intention was to portray my way of being and characteristics that define me. The meaning is the importance given to the artwork, and it is vital to know the overall intention to understand my purpose
and meaning.







Complementary by Marianne Lacle
Yarn and glue. 37 x 30 cms


This is my conceptual me, which suggests my temperament and way of living. Day to day, I
deal with stress, which is represented by the yarns that surround the ball and the way the
yarn falls without any path. The force that complements the stress in my piece, is the light
that comes from on top, bringing hope.The forces complement each other, and connect one
another with the use of yarns in both components.




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