Artist Statement

Collaborative Memory is a mixed-media and time-based video work through which I explore the essence of colour, associated with the Hindu festival of ‘Holi’. A moving void containing the flow of pigments echoes personal memories to engage the viewer through a lens of colour fluidity. The vibrancy of colours is something that provides a catalyst to positivity in our lives.

Artwork Process

For this work I sourced milk, honey, paint and soap, with their array of textural reactions, for creative subject matter. A macro lens allowed me to capture unique painterly effects. After selecting and sequencing the footage, a mask was created for focus and tracking to provide motion. The final composition creates a cathartic, calming effect, and this, coupled with a watery soundscape, complements the swirling colours.

About the Artist

Name: Lara Smith
School: Kelvin Grove State College
Artwork: Collaborative Memory
Media: Single-channel video, 16:9, colour, sound, 1:43 minutes

Throughout my life, I have moved around cities and countries, learning and remembering the land and people, and developing a deep appreciation of people’s love for their culture. Whether it is leaving the city to live in the wilderness to feel connected to their elders, or making a late-night trip to a bakery, culture and expressing love through rituals has always inspired me.

Learning about both local and foreign customs provides a strong theme through my artworks, and expressing these in a modern medium connects me to my own life and introduces these unfamiliar practices to my soul. Learning about the past and how we implement that learning into our lives today is what drives me.