Eliana Mansour
Cerdon College
KENOPSIA
Graphic Design
Digital painting in Procreate®
The uneasiness and dread that arise although there seems to be nothing to fear is a weird feeling inherent in human nature. This is what my body of work is intended to express. We're so used to specific scenes and ways of life that when something disrupts our expectations we feel lost and uncomfortable. Something is wrong and you can tell instinctively without even thinking. What are your instincts telling you? Where does this feeling come from? And where did everybody go?
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the artist Nicholas Moegly, A Momentary Silence.
Marker's Commentary
These meticulously crafted compositions of desolate spaces showcase the profound ability of this body of work to construct landscapes steeped in melancholy and estrangement. Through the skilful manipulation of lighting and composition, each illustration radiates a haunting emptiness and an ephemeral quality. The absence of human presence intensifies the overwhelming sense of abandonment, imbuing these uncanny landscapes with an eerie atmosphere. The once bustling sites captured are now unexpectedly abandoned and seemingly devoid of any life. Moreover, the title of the artwork resonates conceptually, further expanding the intricate tapestry within this work and conveying the intricate concept of Kenopsia. Each illustration possesses a cinematic quality that emphasises the significance of mise en scène, and the deliberate use of red artificial lighting serves a dual purpose, creating an otherworldly ambiance while simultaneously establishing a visual link between the panels within the series. The exquisite detail in each illustration and the merging of the pictorial convention of tenebrism, the dramatic illumination, highlight the prowess in rendering and colouring of each panel of the body of work.