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Barnet College   2006/2007

Freire Barnes

My work has always been about challenging the viewer and heightening the inherent human instinct of curiosity. I have approached this idea by experimenting with different ways of manipulating an image; either through masking an image, collaging multiple images together, disjointedly hung canvases or awkwardly installed paintings, which all portray and allude to sections of 'a bigger picture'.

I deconstruct the completeness of the image by, for instance, removing elements within the painting or only painting/drawing certain area. I am intrigued by the reaction of the viewer when they are not allowed to see everything and what effect it has when the 'entire picture' is manipulated.

Recently I have been working with the traditional themes of portraiture and the juxtaposition of canvas and drawings to confront and alter the viewer's perceptions. With previous work I have drawn directly onto the wall, creating a surface and space beyond the canvas edge. In my recent body of work I have drawn on large sheets of paper, which are hung along with a canvas. I wish to further the current portrait series by using printmaking. By looking beyond just producing 2D work, I wish to encompass the entire experience of interacting with artwork.

I want to produce a series of oil painting/wallpaper installations by integrating printmaking and photography. I have been using old photographs of my family relatives and found photographs as my starting point. I am fascinated how photographs capture and record moments in time and how the artist and viewer relate to that. I am also intrigued in how artwork is displayed on different coloured walls or patterned wallpaper and how this affects your response to the artwork.

I would like to use printmaking as an alternative to drawing and combine it with painting working directly onto the canvas and working with screen-printing onto paper or directly onto the wall. I want to experiment with the idea of image manipulation through the printmaking medium creating another layer to my work.