Belafonte’s Girl Painting

After reflecting on my behaviour when interacting with others I noticed that with certain people I could physically feel the positive effect being around them had on me, like a weight off my mind. Most interesting from this sensation was that prior to the introduction of these peoples into the various social or working situations, I didn’t feel particularly stressed or uncomfortable. Pondering questions like, are we all actors that only reveal our true selves within the safety of those we trust? Are we all like toddlers on the first day of nursery, only able to open up when their favourite comfort objects are in close proximity. The green room; a space in a theatre where performers relax before, between and after the production, became a metaphor for these questions and ideas and is the title of this research project. Trust seems to be the concept embodying the series and I feel my self-drawn to the expression of contemporary London culture that is centered around the Grime musical genre. Going forward I am interested in how I can use my knowledge of growing up in this scene to respond to self made titles that pertain to the vernacular. My practice focuses on the expression of my surroundings; exploring information and experiences to reflect society and build a greater understanding of the sense of self that James Baldwin referred to as ‘the artists search for integrity’. I am interested in the use of play as a means of describing the interactions between people and the influences that determine them. The conceptual representation of the materials used in each piece is as vital to the foundation of my practice as the visual metaphors in the imagery they depict. Figuration or abstraction the 2D or the 3D, I draw, I paint, I collage, and it is important to me that the process is a combination of all these things allowing the process to recapitulate the content.