Madeleine Remy
Untitled
Prompt: This was the final project for Integrative Studio 2, and was posed as an open-ended project based on a research question developed in Integrative Seminar 2. I worked on a discussion paper alongside it exploring themes inspired by a chosen work of art.
In the discussion paper that I crafted alongside this piece, I explored the theme of masks and identity through the lens of Magritte’s “The Lovers II”, as well as various written works with opposing perspectives. This piece was inspired by the research and ideas I developed for that essay, as well as works by other artists and themes of surrealism and escapism that I admire. Though ultimately very different, the two works both stem from the same question: how can assuming a “mask” affect one’s character? Though I explored many negative consequences of anonymity both physically and virtually, I decided to create this animation with a more optimistic narrative in mind. The mask my character wears is meant as a projection of the person she wishes she was, and through her experiences in the world she enters, she becomes just a little bit more of the person she wants to be. I chose to paint in oils primarily because of the vibrancy of color I could achieve, and because each new layer blends a bit with the last – though the last frame is a white screen like the first, you can now see an imprint of everything that came before it.