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Friday 8 January 2016

Paula | Vikki: What The Noise Gave Me - About the Artwork

I asked Paula some questions about her piece 'What the Noise Gave Me'. I found her responses fascinating and I can visualise how the animation may look much more. 

'What The Noise Gave Me' By Paula Karanja


1) What inspired you to make the artwork?
"What The Noise Gave Me" was inspired by a personal experience. I wanted to isolate a time that was pivotal in my decision of what I was going to do after high school graduation. What was I going to do with my life when I grew up? Was it going to be socially acceptable in earning a living? How was I going to start?Those were some of the questions I'd ask my self over and over again. That was the noise. The angst about following what I wanted to do and what I was expected to do. It was a dark and confusing time and the 'Noise' clouded my thoughts and being. 

2) What message did you want to get across to a viewer?
This piece was based on a subjective association. However, I hope to incite the viewer to make new personal associations.
Being a personal experience, the composition revolved around my academic life and the decisions I had to make after graduation. The 'Noise' was my fear of failure,confusion,depression and loneliness experienced in my final year and what lay ahead of me. I was conflicted between pursuing something  considered worthwhile and following what I earnestly longed for; a career in expressing myself in the most fulfilling way. Did I eventually come to a decision? What the 'Noise' gave me was a choice. Each choice with it's own consequence that I'd have to live with.

3)Why did you pick those colours/prints?
As I said, I isolated a movement in my life, to reveal the various emotions going on then. By emphasizing on the aesthetics of the composition I wanted to formalize my conscious. 
The black background shows the darkness and lonely feeling I experienced. My thoughts were negative and were clouded with fear.
The gold specks represent the choices or windows of opportunity that come our way. Because of the overpowering darkness we can't really see anything positive from the situation.  
The golden hole represents the pathway or overt direction the choice gives me. A window of hope or failure.
The silver patterns are the meditative periods it takes to make a conclusion.  The battle or contrast between the gold (choices) and black background (the noise). Drawing each swirl or bend is a therapeutic reminder of the journey. The movement of events.
The abstract forms in the foreground appear to be engaging in an activity,but are partly attentive because of the 'Noise'. So what does the 'Noise' give them? Does it cloud their judgement or do they see the light at the end of the tunnel?The fabric simply identifies the forms as humans,granted with the ability to reason unlike an animal.

4)What art medium did you work with?

I like the flexibility and experimentation of a mixed media composition. Therefore, I used paper as my surface,and layered the piece with gel pens, acrylic, gold dust and fabric to give it a 3D surface.

2 comments:

  1. fascinating to learn more about this image - and in animation terms 'the noise' feels like something that this medium can really bring out and enhance - and likewise in terms of sound design. Sound might be another really interesting discussion to have with Paula.

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  2. Hi Phil, sounds like a great idea :)

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