ARTIST STATEMENT
DNA, an immutable outlet to all life, shapes and connects us to family and ancestry. ‘Ineluctable’ explores the concept of adolescent rebellion and the theory of psychological reactance. My work depicts gentle hands of a loving parent, knitting DNA, symbolic of their time and dedication to raising a child. The unconditional love between mother and child proposes that even if a youth tries to run away, they will never untangle themselves from their heritage. The new set of teenage hands are attempting, but fail, to untangle themselves from their DNA, implying that they can never be fully cut off from their bloodline.
ARTWORK PROCESS
'Ineluctable' began as a sketch then a background painting. A frame made from cardboard was cut and hot glued in a ladder-like form for the DNA, then twisted with tape before applying dye tinted resin in layers to provide strength. Hands were moulded in dental alginate and cast using resin with wisps of red dye or plaster of Paris and acrylic paint. After fully drying, the painted hands, DNA ladder and resin hands were attached to my painting ensuring that the ends of the DNA spine connected to the resin sculpture hands to give the effect of being knitted.
