Lauren Arbuckle
Maitland Grossmann High School
THE HOLY TRINITY
Printmaking
Lino carving, printing ink on paper
The concept for my body of work was to explore how individuals live within a family. Using the framing of a triptych I represent separate personalities coexisting as a collective. I have integrated my personal understanding of Australian households and the roles that accentuate the dissonance between each character’s personality. The representation of my family incorporates elements of Christian iconography, using the symbolism of the power of ‘three’ to express a collective identity through individuality. I used printmaking to explore the negative and positive space within a composition and to tell a story which is unique yet familiar.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Vera Zulumovski, Woman with Pasha Bulker; Rew Hanks, Peaches and Cream; Grayson Perry, A Perfect Match; Jan and Hubert van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece (Adoration of the Mystic Lamb).
Marker's Commentary
The Holy Trinity immediately engages viewers in a humorous biographical portrayal of a family by characterising the quintessential nature of its individual members. Presented as an altarpiece and employing familiar compositional devices from art history, the triptych pays homage to Christian iconography whilst simultaneously establishing ideas of unity, power and gender established in this family unit. The division of roles, character quirks and generational differences are cleverly and wittingly alluded to through the compositional props that describe and surround each figure and by their command of each contemporary idiosyncratic environment. Technical strength is demonstrated through the well planned, thoughtfully constructed and confidently printed composition, whilst exemplary control is evident in the superior cutting of the blocks to depict intricate details and patterns to skilfully delineate the interplay of positive and negative space.