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An Anthology – By Samantha Vincent

An Anthology – By Samantha Vincent

This body of work consists of an exploration of personal memory through the use of figurative imagery as metaphor…

This body of work consists of an exploration of personal memory through the use of figurative imagery as metaphor.

To aid both the development and conceptualisation of my work I explored the work of artists Geraldine Fenn and Felieke van der Leest. Fenn, a South African jeweller, uses figurative imagery predominately in the form of found objects, to create works which explore personal narratives, sentiment and memory. Van der Leest, a studio jeweller situated in Norway, combines both unrelated and associative imagery to create anthropomorphic creatures. She predominately uses plastic toy animals to explore experiences from everyday life and childhood memories.

Using an action research methodology, my concepts and use of figurative images developed as I expressed personal narratives. My work became more layered and complex. These developments occurred in the production of seven series of works.

I have worked predominately in silver, ceramic and plastics. These materials and the techniques used were specifically chosen for their suitability in conveying particular concepts and imagery. The materials were also used to create a muted colour-pallet associated with emotions and memory. The scale of the objects suggests a sense of intimacy. This intimacy is controlled, by placing the works under cloches and behind boxes. The viewer can never be truly intimate with these objects, just as they could never fully be part of the personal meaning and narratives that I encountered through their making.

Using familiar imagery I explore both childhood and present memories and emotions. In the first two series, titled Rabbit and Farm Animal, the use of simple silhouettes and outlines referenced animals associated with growing up on a small holding became metaphors for the indistinctive quality of my childhood memories. The broken kewpie doll and ballerina imagery used in the series titled Can’t you see I’m broken (and that I can mend) and Adagio embody both positive and negative emotions of pain, jealousy and healing and serenity. These works are filled with nostalgia, and ultimately depict my struggle in coming to terms with the loss of my childhood.

This exploration of childhood led to a series of work that examined and depicted more current memories and emotions. In the remaining series of works, the imagery became a metaphor for my connection with, and to, other people. Remembrance uses images of birds to explore my connection to my father and his role as provider, nurturer and protector of my family. The works take on a sculptural feel, as they become monuments to his life. The hand-drawn images of my immediate family in the collection titled A Family Portrait reveal the matriarchal dominance and structure of my family. The use of material and physical arrangement of the works, help emphasis these concepts.
The final series of work titled W/Hole Hearts consists of twenty six anatomical heart brooches. The diverse images utilised in this series act as metaphors for various aspects of relationships that affect my emotional state. The names of people starting at ‘a’ and ending in ‘z’ have been etched on the brooch. Like the traditional locket, with its public and private content, the back of the brooches contain imagery which connects to relationships. Some of these images can be removed and worn as separate brooches, allowing for the private to be seen in public.

This body of work, although largely consisting of jewellery, is not displayed in a traditional manner, and hence there is no wearer participation. The intention is not to engage with the work by ‘trying it on’, but to consider the underlying narrative and context of each series by participating as a viewer.

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