vestige
Visible evidence that is no longer present or evident / A trace or remnant of something that is disappearing]
The process: I cover my body with genuine octopus ink. I print directly on silk. The images I make have several layers: I add and erase a new layer to the previous. In this process some images appear abstract others are more obvious.
I have one rule I use my body as a “brush”. In this process I have discovered many different angles of the body and how to move around and on the canvas.
The combination of materials: silk from silk worms and squid ink is important. It is interesting to merge these two boneless animals.
The contrast of black and white. The blackness of the squid ink is un comparable to any other blackness I have encountered. It is organic and nontoxic. The silk is glossy and soft like a babys’ skin.
Vestige is a development and continuation of my Gaia works, that started in 2013. It is about “performing a trace”. I find it natural to use my own body. This is how I paint. I paint with my body or I don’t paint.
In the living sculpture and performance Octopoda, I impersonate the features of the octopus. The suit can change color and copy the color of what it points at. It has 8 moving arms and feet. When avoiding the enemy the octopus camouflages itself in its environment by imitating colors, patterns and shapes.
I always envied the abilities of the octopus especially its many arms. Getting it for myself I see how many obstacles it causes me to have so many things to control.
Personificating the octopus as an artist and in the art world has some interesting readings. Is it about copying or becoming something else.
