Kelsey Travis
Artist statement
This project considers how signs convey messages to their audiences. Throughout this project the focus has been placed upon the distortion of road signs, resulting in a series of six carefully curated pieces of work. The work within its space will not only contrast the environment in which it exists, it will also make reference its surroundings.
The large-scale prints each represent a different sign, this is intentional as each piece is intended to be unique yet retain its integrity as a series through the use of each road sign. The motivation behind the project was the idea that within a car park certain shapes, marking and signs are significant to road users, how they navigate through this space and this makes it a somewhat controlled environment because many people conform to what a road sign states.
From these initial thoughts, questions began to surface such as: what would happen if the signs were warn away in areas, distorted or hardly visible? Compared to signs that were bold, bright and clearly marked? This created the catalyst for creation of these six compositions that would encompassing elements of distortion, vibrancy on a bold eye-catching large scale.
When considering each individual composition, it is important to notice that there are two elements when creating these digital prints. The first was the abstract mono-prints that have been digitally manipulated, the inspiration for the organic, expressive marks came from the natural world. It intended to bring something appealing, captivating and less industrial to a gloomy, grotty and often unwelcoming environment.
The second aspect which is the focal point of each piece, is the road signs, here there is distortion created through multiple over lapping signs. Each print was created in order to play with a visual language that is recognisable to us all, this was achieved through the placement of opposing imagery beside or on top of one another, which was then further enhanced by the abstract components.
Beyond the visual dialect occurring within the series, the layout chosen is a significant feature of my exhibition as it allows car park to be explored as a public gallery. This is demonstrated through the linear layout of the collection, the crisp white bored being left around each image appears to frame the intricate compositions, this was integral to the me as an artist as I wanted to take the signs away from their original function, away from graphics and turn it into something that could be considered as fine art in an space that couldn’t be more contrasting to a gallery.
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