Christine Bourchier Tenuous Perceptions Artist Statement

Christine Bourchier
Tenuous Perceptions Artist Statement

When life slowed down and life became more uncertain last year, I unselfconsciously focussed my attention on things close at hand and gave myself time to revel in the detail of anything that caught my eye.  Frequently, I found myself enjoying the various stages of the life cycles of plants and animals, although often death and decay became the focus.  Often this would lead to contemplation of things we could have done or could be doing better.  Whilst walking, I often encountered discarded and degrading plastic, sometimes intrigued by how organic it appeared.  There can be something quite seductive about plastic, yet also something decidedly sinister.  Plastic, decay and how our actions impact on the environment became themes in my work and those themes have continued this year.

Texture, line and movement draw my eye.  For this exhibition, I have included works in a variety of mediums that exhibit these qualities and reflect ideas about what we value and how we treat it.  Several works illustrate my attraction to the unconventional beauty found in the process of decay.  Some works are from last year and some are new.  While I have been contemplating the underlying themes and preparing for my first exhibition, I have also been asking myself lots of questions.  For example, can a photograph be more than just a photo?  Does what I use to make a print matter when the result is simply the image?  How much, if anything, do I need to do to an object for it to be art?  Plus, the age old question, what is art anyway and does it matter?  

Dark Portrait of a Problem, Archival Pigment Print, 70 x 50cms