Janet Sainsbury
www.janetsainsury.co.uk
@janetsainsbury
Statement:
The theme for this exhibition, Nothing has Changed, Everything has Changed reflects the fluid nature of change. I am interpreting the theme in relation to my personal experience of looking at paintings. I now look at Celia Paul’s paintings with deeper admiration and love. I respond more to their stillness and intensity, as I understand more my vulnerabilities and strengths. Her work is illuminated for me by my interest in her as a person and my own self awareness as an artist.
In her recently published book she writes letters to Gwen John exploring their shared experiences as artists and as muses, both with much older, well known artists. She detests being labelled as ‘an artist in her own right’ but wonders if there is something in herself that makes her culpable. This seems contradictory.
I explore contradictory ideas in The Dream, reflecting my ambiguous feelings about the artist muse/muse artist relationship, about ownership and power and about reciprocity and mutual advantage. The status and idea of a muse is often vexed; I have painted a fantasy relationship that attempts to reframe questions about power and creativity.
In The Gift I aim to reflect a change of power dynamics between artists and muses. The woman in the foreground isn’t looking at the two men standing behind her, but she is intensely aware of their presence. The rounded, pink rocks are anthropomorphic; some are precariously balanced and could topple.
Looking backwards inspires me to move forwards, looking for change.
www.janetsainsury.co.uk
@janetsainsbury
Statement:
The theme for this exhibition, Nothing has Changed, Everything has Changed reflects the fluid nature of change. I am interpreting the theme in relation to my personal experience of looking at paintings. I now look at Celia Paul’s paintings with deeper admiration and love. I respond more to their stillness and intensity, as I understand more my vulnerabilities and strengths. Her work is illuminated for me by my interest in her as a person and my own self awareness as an artist.
In her recently published book she writes letters to Gwen John exploring their shared experiences as artists and as muses, both with much older, well known artists. She detests being labelled as ‘an artist in her own right’ but wonders if there is something in herself that makes her culpable. This seems contradictory.
I explore contradictory ideas in The Dream, reflecting my ambiguous feelings about the artist muse/muse artist relationship, about ownership and power and about reciprocity and mutual advantage. The status and idea of a muse is often vexed; I have painted a fantasy relationship that attempts to reframe questions about power and creativity.
In The Gift I aim to reflect a change of power dynamics between artists and muses. The woman in the foreground isn’t looking at the two men standing behind her, but she is intensely aware of their presence. The rounded, pink rocks are anthropomorphic; some are precariously balanced and could topple.
Looking backwards inspires me to move forwards, looking for change.
The Dream
60 x 50cm
Oil paint
2022
60 x 50cm
Oil paint
2022