Artist Statement

I am a british artist based in Cambridge, UK. I work primarily with oil paints on canvas, as well as oil pastels and charcoal. Through my artistic practice, I aim to convey the disconnect that occurs in humans as a result of technological advances. One of these advances is the noise-cancelling feature that has become an essential feature on almost all headphones in 2024. Unconciously, we are constantly assessing our surroundings through our sensory experience (particularly visually and audibly). When one of these senses is obstructed or altogether removed, it can be quite disorientating. I wanted to look into the impact of becoming reliant on noise-cancelling headphones and how this can influence our sensory environment. The act of wearing headphones has become so normalised. Through my work I question how much of the human experience we miss when this becomes a daily habit. I aim to convey a visualisation of this distorted sensory experience. I explore subjects such as street lights, electricity and other elements of city life in order to convey a sense of the overstimulation and disorientation that occurs in our brains in this altered sensory state. I want to communicate the feeling that occurs when the things we see around us become blurred together and we can’t fully process or interpret them. I also aim to express a feeling of disconnect and isolation, created as a result of technological developments. My intention is to invite spectators to consider when it is that they feel the most connected to themselves and to life.