Eveleen Hann

This body of work investigates a relationship between painting, photography and memory. These paintings respond to the influence that photography has on memory retrieval, and how painting can be informed by this process. I’m influenced by Marlene Dumas’ relationship with archival imagery, and Justin Mortimer’s exploration of transitory spaces.

I believe that the neural processing of memory parallels the act of painting from photographs. Memory retrieval can be broken down into three main components: capturing, storing and recalling. The act of taking a photo is much like the act of capturing a memory. These photos are then stored in an archive, either digital or physical, and accessed at a later date. Painting from photographs can be compared to the act of memory retrieval, which is
inherently creative. Information is gathered in a non-linear fashion and reconstructed each time a memory is accessed. The more time that passes, the more information is lost – leaving more room for the interpretation of a fragmented history.

My paintings recall and welcome these distorted spaces altered by time. I trace, colour and remove elements of found family photos using acrylics and oils. This process of adding, removing or abstracting visual information encourages me to reconcile with my imperfect memory. Instead of fighting to remember what I have forgotten, I lean into this loss of information by altering the colours, forms and spaces that I no longer recognize.

Other exhibitions by OCADU

OCADU

Amina Boufennara | Stitchings in Midmost

OCADU

Zishuo Li

OCADU

Neuroaesthetics

OCADU

Charlotte Healey: Let's Stay Together

OCADU

Jodi Tu