Sasha Terway
In my artwork, I aim to explore the intricate and nuanced concept of conflict and the various shapes and forms it takes through contemplating animism and narrative. To represent the equilibrium achieved through the conflict between predator and prey, I use the symbols of the wolf and deer. These symbols have a rich history as symbolic representations of the natural world and I aim to depict how they are pulled and twisted in different directions over the course of time.
Through the use of ink and ceramic as my primary mediums, I delve into the themes of my work. Ink, being a natural and organic flowing medium, behaves unpredictably and leaves permanent marks upon a surface. By repeating mark-making with ink, I reveal an obsessive and frantic emotion that can characterize hostility and hysterics.
Clay is used to explore the concept of tension and fragility; I utilize its unique behaviour from its beginning within the earth to its refinement and glazing to represent the complexities of conflict in tangible ways. Its delicacy allows me to highlight the potential for shattering that exists due to the tension which it holds, much like the tension that exists between conflicting forces in the natural world.
Colour exists in my work as a device to enhance a childlike quality along with this notion of conflict, being approached with pinks, reds, and blues under a pastel lens, these palettes provide a duality to how aggression can manifest.
My artwork aims to connect the seemingly un-connectable forms of conflict, I question the reversal of roles in conflict and how it can manifest in unique ways particularly about feminine identities. By representing the complexities of conflict through art, my work prompts viewers to ponder the childlike forms that represent more consequential and dire ideas. As with our natural world, when a predator is absent, the prey must take its place. I explore this notion in the human world, where we seek conflict as a source of comfort, and its recognizability proves soothing. Through my art, I aim to represent the complexities of conflict and how we navigate them.
