My body of work examines the ambience and ephemerality of urban life. Individuals blend into the city’s flow, slipping in and out of memory like brief flashes caught on a surveillance camera. In public spaces, vehicles become transient capsules of mass transit and industrial ritual. As if through the lens of the camera, which sees, records, deletes and forgets, I represent the mechanised, emotionless lives within the metropolis. Fragments of light framed within liminal spaces convey the detached, fleeting nature of existence in the urban landscape.

My body of work examines ways of representing the many faces of an artistic identity. My portraits are of my key influences, both in my personal life and in the public artistic and literary spheres. My work is a form of self-portraiture which investigates the convoluted nature of introspection, conveyed by the unrefined aesthetic, the erratic diagramming and annotations. Making this work was an exercise in looking inward, into the very foundations of what comes to be a person’s unique creative self.

Contemporary city life is fast paced and often too busy. Time alone is rare. My body of work examines the time and space ‘in between’ daily life. The time spent sitting down for a coffee, tea or some lunch and quietly reflecting during the in-between time. My work references Matisse’s dream of art being like “a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue”. My intention is for audiences to feel relaxed and take a moment to breathe.

My intention in my body of work is to examine the awe of Christ and His influence in human lives. Referencing Matthew 5:14-16, I represent Christ as a light source that provides both sight and warmth. My work illustrates the comfort and delicacy of human responses to Christ. My appreciation for classical art lies in the fact that it conveys a consistent concept of Love and/or Biblical representation. I believe this mindset of creating for the glory of God is what makes the classics classic. The awe of art from this era resides in the presence and acknowledgement of God.

Foreign Familiarity examines how the places and things we view in our childhood change as we grow up. Inspired by my childhood in Singapore, it is a nostalgic representation of the innocence of childhood and my loss of culture and memories in moving to Australia. I used bold, dynamic colours for the buildings and as a base, under the lighter tones of the sky and roads, with the intention of conveying the feeling of childhood brightness masked by our older perceptions of familiar landscapes. My body of work references Singaporean scenery but distorts it to communicate this change in viewpoint.

Concrete Bubble examines the monotonous cycle of urban life that we live and move within. My intention in my body of work was to challenge the modern world’s glorification of constant productivity, inviting the audience to recognise the repetitive nature of their own lives. Familiar Sydney transport vehicles are represented in the globes to reinforce this concept; the arrow-shaped street sign motif conveys the one-way journey individuals undertake in their daily lives. The concrete greys of the Sydney metropolis are drenched in blues and punctuated by the ever-present safety yellow, confronting the audience with its familiar presence.

My body of work investigates my move from Germany to Australia when I was three and the excitement of returning to Germany regularly; a profound journey of embracing heritage while forging a new life in a different country. Each piece represents the intertwining of past and present, conveying the essence of cultural identity and the resilient spirit that blossoms in new environments. My intention in Circumnavigating Memories was to examine faded memories of Germany, the ideal expectations many have when coming to Australia, and the reality of its harsh environment.

Historically, greyhounds have been exploited for gambling which has ended tragically for many of these dogs. In my body of work my intention is to intrigue and shock the audience, thus reshaping its perception of inhumane sports. The satirical, grotesque representations of greyhounds in my work question the ethics of using animals for entertainment and the bizarre lengths humans have gone to make profits. Using distortion, it communicates the injuries they have sustained from racing and being in cramped kennels. The bank notes reference the profits made from greyhound racing and abuse.

By investigating the dynamic essence of movement, rhythm and vitality, my body of work communicates the ephemeral beauty of the natural world in a delicate balance between art and nature. My creative process involved mindfulness and meditation. Through my work I invite the audience to observe the intricate details of our environment, with the intention of instilling a new appreciation for the beauty inherent in the everyday and encouraging a deeper engagement with our surroundings. In the selection of objects for my work I elevate simple elements into compositions that convey both dynamism and fragility, representing the serenity in nature.

My body of work investigates personal identity and the family’s role in shaping self-perception. It represents the diversity of my family members’ lives, moving from portraits to an abstracted cube. My intention in painting the portraits on wood was to illustrate how elements of identity converge to form the individual. Their gradual deconstruction shows how identity is not one-dimensional but is complex and ever-changing. The 3D cube integrates family objects from shared experiences of our collective identity. With the layering referencing geological strata, it communicates the interconnectedness of our histories, while the interactive feature conveys childhood playfulness and life’s journey.

My body of work examines and celebrates my profound connection with both the tropical landscape of Cairns (far north Queensland) and the temperate coastline of Port Stephens. It conveys the contrasting beauty of these environments and my personal interactions with them, experienced through my transition from the vibrant, exotic atmosphere of Queensland’s rainforests and coral reefs to the rugged coastal bushland and serene beaches of Port Stephens. My intention in this work was to represent the essence of these two regions, honouring the unique flora and fauna that have shaped my experiences and continue to inspire my art.