Artist Statement

The unknown is a place, a situation, or a thing that is not yet known or understood. My artwork reflects this through the juxtaposition of a yellow house perched on an iceberg, creating a familiar feature in a bizarre environment. At some point in a person’s life, they will confront places, people, things or situations that are foreign to them, such as moving to a new city, or finding familiar things in unfamiliar settings — for example, seeing your old friends in a new high school.

Artwork Process

The iceberg was first sculpted out of a solid block of foam with a hot wire foam-cutting tool. To create the yellow house, dimensions were ruled onto pieces of construction foam, sanded, cut out using a Stanley knife, and painted with bright yellow and pink acrylic paint. The pieces were sanded first to mimic a rough concrete surface. The house was then assembled with hot glue and Blu-Tack (to keep it in place) and placed on the iceberg. Digital photographs of the iceberg were taken against dark cloths to create a confusing, eerie atmosphere and allude to the unknown.

About the Artist

Name: Emilia Memory
School: Lourdes Hill College (Hawthorne)
Artwork: The Yellow House
Media: Digital photograph, polystyrene, balsa wood, synthetic polymer paint

I find inspiration by gathering all sorts of images that interest me, such as artworks and photography. I will then print these images and document any ideas that come to mind in a journal, so I have something that I can constantly refer and add ideas to. I find it very beneficial to practice this as it unlocks many possibilities and I am able to back-track if need be.