Below are a collection of my resolved pieces from this project, I wanted to explore what postcards symbolised to me, as well as their practicality within the art world. For me I wanted to illustrate how a postcard is not just a mini painting and/or print.
I began exploring when and where you would find a postcard, I was drawn to the idea of a vast collection, the sort you would see at the end of a gallery. This reminded me of school trips and art projects where I would buy a whole range that were aesthetic. This then drew me to think about the commercial element of a postcard as it acts as a sort of merchandise for an artist and exhibition.
On from this, I began to conduct research amongst my friends who had visited galleries for pleasure (In contrasts with academic enrichment). I asked them how they felt when they viewed different types of artwork. I received a range of responses as well as a level of anger when it came to pieces they deemed “rubbish”. This reminded me that all art is relative. This idea inspired the piece below. This striking pink and green print -using the colour samples from my preliminary research- depicts how an audiences surface level understanding of an artwork has an effect on their response. This work almost mocks the audience as well as the artist, playing with the hierarchy of artistic intelligence and the quality of artwork.
The pieces below illustrate a range of audiences that come to exhibitions, whether they are family members, merely being dragged along, art enthusiasts or culture seeking tourists. I wanted to look at how the current political and social climate could be depicted through this work, relating it to COVID and the effects this has on society.
The collection I have created has inspired me to look at satire within art, as well as the effect this has on the audience. As I enjoy creating pieces that challenge the viewer, I want my work to bridge the gap between those who study art and those who go for pleasure. I hope to use this further in my work.
