Chelsea Stewart
Kincumber High School
ENVY
Drawing
Collagraph and charcoal drawing
In 2023 America introduced over 500 anti-trans Bills, further marginalising those who deserve a secure sense of identity and an accepted place in society. My body of work investigates the disconnect between body and mind, and how our internal perception can be misaligned from our outward appearance, manifesting in strong emotions of dysphoria or gender envy. My personal conflict between femininity and masculinity is represented by contrasting discomfort and euphoria, an experience common among trans individuals. Inspired by Renaissance frescoes, my work combines Pre-Raphaelite romanticism with Baroque lighting to express the heightened emotional states common to the trans experience.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the artists: Renaissance frescoes, Baroque portraiture
Marker's Commentary
Envy is a series of three charcoal and conte pencil, figurative drawings. The central artwork is a portrait connected closely to the spiritual or the divine, and this is accompanied by two works of juxtaposing messages - one intensely joyful and the other, where extreme discomfort is presented. This artwork is highly informed. The drawing media has been skilfully and sensitively managed. The built-up layers of charcoal and conte are precisely placed and the mark making is sophisticated. The students' knowledge and control of blending, perhaps with a tortillon, is delicately and maturely handled.
Envy presents the audience with a unique point of view. The choice of subject matter, as a series, presents the student’s world understood by personal experiences, thoughts and emotions. Postmodern qualities are evident in the subtle synthesis of the collagraph printmaking method, used as a background, and the assured use of drawing. As a result, classical connections to Renaissance traditions, such as the use of chiaroscuro, may be seen. The spiritual worlds connected to the Renaissance can be implied through these qualities. Further influences from Pre-Raphaelite Romanticism and Baroque composition and lighting underpin the emotional narrative within this work. The multiple layers of meaning engage the audience in a conversation that is deeply personal, questioning traditional ideas on identity and sexuality.