I heard somebody say the word expansion, then realised much later that it was me. Silly I thought, then later it became interesting. I began to develop that word and gave much relevance to my works and my everyday happenings, just the way a designer expands his thumbnail ideas to produce that final one.
It is difficult to let people easily grasp what is in your head, nobody does, and it’s all in your head. But once it is out as an art form then the value is lost. Then why do we share as artists? The intention of my work is to understand the time I never knew, never experienced and only heard through oral tradition. What you hear, the things you imagine and more importantly what you want to expand from what you have been given.
Growing up, girls liked to play with objects that best defined them; ragged dolls, the product of rags found in that so hard and unbearable pillow that always stiffened your neck, knitting with wool and grass, macramé in grass and hair plaiting creating patterns, form, design and texture. It was a soothing time, a time to look forward to as results could be seen. I am interested in these past time events and would like to marry them with the present.
However difficult it is to make these objects relevant to our new found technology, I still worship them. At times, I wonder if people remember any of these pastimes and whether these activities and education are still at play today.
My work, tries to bring about the story, the idea only and at times the actual events of the past. It remains a concept. It eventually becomes understood when there is a language between the viewer and the work. Each can produce her own conclusion and might as well expand. Again I heard myself say that I do not need to do great things every day, but I need to do something towards that great thing daily. The key word for me was daily. It doesn’t mean be a slave at it, but my thoughts are, a little reading, a little research and practice leading to the expansion of an idea.
Expansion can be taken from any context. Many art houses have been born, adding value to expansion. Artists continue to be made whilst also creating expansion in the medium used, content and art. It brings about a comfort feeling that it is being done and that we can be compared with the rest of the world. In the end I believe that by remaining loyal to oneself and to the expansion statement the influence becomes real like a ripple effect, inspiring everyone and hopefully in a few years everyone will accept honest art.
