Emma Grzonkowski | Alter Egos

Emma Grzonkowski | Alter Egos

EMMA GRZONKOWSK I ALTER

“I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.”

This sentiment, beautifully articulated by Mahatma Gandhi in The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas , has been gifted a visual representation by figurative artist Emma Grzonkowski in her latest collection of work Alter Egos . With a focus on the four dominant facets of her own inner dialogue, here we see the artist segue from warrior to victim, bravely confronting that which society dictates we ought to keep hidden. Casting off the shackles of conformity, freed from the cultural constraints that demand nothing less than flawless and faultless at all times, here we see the artist acknowledge and embrace all the various personas that coexist within her psyche. Emma’s previous connection to the theme of Seven Deadly Sins, and the collection that arose from it, fed the desire to create another body of work that allows her the latitude to visualise and develop the characters that will eventually take shape as she paints. As the aesthetic route progressed, she found herself building a strong sense of these personas, engaging with them on a personal level and she continued with a distinct objective to enable others to do likewise; “ They began to become real people in my mind, because they’re just so human, they’re relatable. ” The title, Alter Egos , fell into place shortly after Emma recognised that she shares many of the traits with her characters, albeit that they were conceived and exaggerated from the darker and more vulnerable corners of her own personality. We see much juxtaposition within the roles that each of these females play. They embody violence and suffering, scarred and bloodied by the battles they’ve fought, and yet they ooze a glamorous sexuality that only serves to highlight the underlying distress in these compositions. Emma has gifted each of her subjects with an élan of female empowerment and courage in the face of adversity. Taking inspiration from the femme fatales of popular culture, Emma turned specifically to

the creation of American comic book writer Frank Miller, and credits Sin City as one of the key influences for the styling of her collection, in particular the black, white and red colour palette alongside a keen use of symbolism. The lyricism of singer songwriter Lana Del Rey also resonated with Emma during her creative process, specifically Del Rey’s ideology of women within her music who are simultaneously feminine yet fiercely strong. During her research and planning, Emma found herself confronting the misnomers in common parlance that arguably do more damage than we would imagine, and determined to address them in Alter Egos . A trigger for this route was the term ‘hopeless romantic’, with Emma questioning: “ Why are we willing to label those who believe in true love, passion and chivalry as ‘hopeless’? I would say that today’s standards are far more worthy of scorn than the emotional generosity and purity of idealists ”. Similarly, whilst her Warrior character appears outwardly fearless, it is important to realise that she is a product of her experiences, and has been forced to forge her armour in order to survive that which she has experienced. Likewise, the Destructor has no wish to destroy those around her, rather she is self- destructive and ceases to register pain, emotional or physical alike. Represented symbolically through her army fatigues, scars and bandages, she is literally waging war on herself. Divesting these traits onto canvas was a liberating experience for Emma and, whilst it prompted an uncomfortable process of self-evaluation that forced her to recognise and confront life events, it also proved a period of catharsis and reconciled her with the person she now knows herself to be. In completing this collection, Emma has made peace with herself, safe in the knowledge that “ In a world where ‘perfection’ is prized, I have shown something raw and real.”

DADDY’S G I RL

Or i g i na l Boxed Canvas / 1 1 0 CM x 1 00 CM

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The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection. To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. © Washington Green 2017. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission. washingtongreen.co.uk