Band 5/6 Response 1
Distorted Self presents seventeen abstracted, figurative drypoint prints. The figures resemble totemic guardians which have been incised primarily using expressive lines and pattern. The work creates an immediate impact through the energy and dynamism of the compositions. The image of the self is distorted and exaggerated, suggesting various psychological states, especially feelings of frustration and entrapment. The figures metamorphose into primal, screaming, masked animal-like forms. The lines are sharp, jagged, confident and deliberate, conveying a sense of power, spontaneity and raw energy. Tone is eliminated in favour of line. The work has a confident presence and overall energy despite some bleeding in the linework and inconsistencies in the surface wipe.
