Charlotte Madison Ford

Pymble Ladies' College

THE WITNESSES (AN ALLEGORY)

Painting

Acrylic on canvas

My body of work investigates the concept of artistic representation and how the roles of the artist, artwork and audience are shaped by sociocultural change and our desire to communicate our ever- changing world. I reference the self-reflexive, meta-artwork Las meninas by Velázquez, which places the artist in the work, to represent a contemporary audience, positioning the audience as participants in the artwork itself. My intention is to create a dynamic conversation about the role of the observer, challenging traditional notions of artistic authority and interpretation that arise when a work is left solely to audience speculation.

My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Diego Velázquez, JC Leyendecker, Arnold Bocklin, Dean Cornwell, Norman Rockwell, Will Rochfort.