Artist Statement
The influence of DNA on Earth and it’s interconnection with Universal Energy.
Fusing my belief and spirituality to the concept of science and its relationship to art. My practice focuses on DNA, which is scientifically proven, and its interconnection with the non-scientifically verified universal energy.
Universal energy, for me, is the life-sustaining energy of the universe that connects all life. I have evolved my practice to not only consider DNA as a carrier of genetic information but a spiritual signature that extends through the dimensions and time that connects every living thing, both seen and unseen.
I come from a Christian background, which teaches that life continues in a Heavenly paradise, after death. In addition, during my practice, I have discovered Reiki, which is a form of energy healing and I have trained at level one. This has reinforced my belief that the soul does exist and there is an energy that connects us all, that changes between physical and the metaphysical, before and after death.
My practice investigates how DNA and universal energy can represent itself visually, from micro-organisms which are so tiny, that it is invisible to the naked eye, to micro-organisms, which is visible.
During my practice, I expressed my personal understanding of genetic energy. My work depicts my DNA traits, inherited from my parents, to become myself and my connection with my biological ancestors. This became the fundamental basis for my artistic practice of, the influence of DNA on earth and its interconnection with universal energy.
My work continues an age-old conversation and challenges the minds and emotions of my peers, teachers, and audiences. As it asks fundamental questions of who we are, our evolution on Earth, and what we will become when our bodies no longer have a home on this planet. It looks at death and the concepts of the soul, reincarnation, and life after death.
My Arc
I have refined my practice on the subject matter of, the influence of DNA on Earth and its interconnection with Universal Energy. I found this matter to be overly complex, uncharted, and for a lot of people, uncomfortable.
Within the last years, my work and research took me from the complex theory of DNA to the development of microorganism, exploring species and animals in its natural habitat and discovering peoples thoughts and feelings around death, the soul and universal energy. The book, Endless Forms by Charles Darwin enable me to explore this idea more.
I started my practice, focusing on life on this planet, including animals and plants, and expressed it in my photography by capturing nature itself, carrying out its basic functions to nurture, protect and evolve life. This was expressed through my photography work which was then integrated into my artwork, influenced by David Attenborough.
I then started to focus my practice on the soul and where it goes when it is removed from the physical body, the host. I wondered if that energy goes on to another world, another time, another place in existence and if so, was there still a link between DNA and that energy? Almost as if a person Soul without a body was stamped with the genetic energy of its past life. This was expressed through my paintings and my unique artistic style of using microphotography of my artwork and converting them in individual pieces of art using different mediums.
My practice then advanced to explore the correlation between DNA and inner energy. I developed pieces that represent how DNA influences the life force flowing through your body, including every emotion, movement, and thought. This was inspired by the book, Life on Earth by Edward O. Wilson. On a personal level, my work expanded to explore questions such as: Who am I? What are my DNA and energetic link between family mother and child and the ancestral family tree?
My artistic expression now connects with my research, findings, and inspirations while working on the final pieces of multiple media works using materials such as canvas, cloth, textile vibrant beautiful colors in chalk, ink, paint and pigment pens. I developed my unique practice by using the technique infusing a combination of different works to produce final unique pieces, by converting my art into a photograph, using technology on the computer to inverse the images and vice versa where my photography work is converted to produce artwork.
Throughout my practice, I found that I drew my inspiration from a mixture of scientific research, conversation with people, exploring nature and artists such as:
Wassily Kandinsky: Who created pioneering and vibrant abstract artwork, has a unique perspective of the material world, life and the spiritual world and his technique of merging them in his artwork. He was known to hear sounds as color, and this unusual perception was his guiding force in the development of his artistic style.
In the book Exploring the Invisible by Lynn Gamwell, he joined other artists to help the Author reflect the evolution of abstract art through several eras.
Joan Miró: Who’s ‘signature biomorphic forms, geometric shapes, and semi-abstracted objects are expressed in multiple media, from ceramics and engravings to large bronze installations. I found his work refreshing and his use of shapes and colors inspiring. Him, like me, explored abstract characters within his artwork and he also explored the theme of mother and child.
I went on to explore the scientific discovery of the GENE, which sprung from my curiosity about Africa, my planet Earth and its development from microscopic organisms, cells and how the reproductive system work. This included how the genetic system works by the male sex organs producing and releasing semen into the female reproductive system. Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds Exhibition at the London Pavilion enabled me to see a preserved five-months-pregnant woman with the inside of her womb revealed to see a developing baby inside.
I found in using the different materials and different technological tools made my practice more interesting, exciting yet sometimes challenging and costly. It enabled me to express myself by using the shapes of the DNA to create different types of artistic ‘species’ that interconnects with each other, representing life energies.
