LICA FESTIVAL 2024






Dwell
Abandon
Occupy
Vacate
Remove
Settle
Escape
Stay
Diverge
Possess


ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN
FILM
FINE ART
THEATRE




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    Abi Anderson




     Throughout my degree I have aimed to create work which celebrates physical identity – particularly which focuses on replicating the finer details of the face in large scale portraits. I work from photographs in a hyperrealist style, which is heavily influenced by the work of American artist Chuck Close. My paintings are created mainly with oil paints, using a variety of painting techniques in order to replicate certain textures, pores, blemishes and wrinkles.  

    Throughout the work I have created, I aspire to engage the viewer with the complexities of physical identity on a confrontational scale by relaying the extreme detail from the photograph with multiple layers of paint. This style of painting also challenges the differences between reality and realism, which confronts the ubiquity of filtered images and selfies throughout social media. Facial insecurities are celebrated in the work rather than hidden - capturing intricate details that reveal the unique character of each subject. By using oil paint and a photorealistic approach, I intend to bridge the gap between the immediacy of photography and the depth and tactility of traditional painting, and with the larger scale of the paintings themselves I hope to invite viewers to engage in a close examination, fostering a deeper connection with the sitter's presence and the complexities of the human visage.