Artist Statement

Art and literature are found in all cultures and are among the oldest forms of storytelling. My work, ISO, uses words and drawings together to express the meaning of the work. The ISO installation features 120 individual drawings, all involving text. The phrases and situations of the people are based on personal experience and events at the time of drawing, such as the coronavirus quarantine. The three journey drawings exaggerate my experiences in the world – train trip, traffic jam or a day at the beach and bring the viewer along on the journey.

Artwork Process

I used black fine point pen on paper to draw all the components of the work as it is what I most commonly write and draw with. By engaging with the world around me, the work is inspired by events happening at the time, as well as, music, personal experiences and thoughts. The decision to use only black and white only was made as the words and drawings are more closely related in a monochromatic setting. Artists such as Vincent Namatjira and David Shrigley also informed my work as they work in a strong personal context, as well as using words.

About the Artist

Name: Sydney O’Hare
School: St Joseph’s College (Brisbane)
Artwork: ISO
Media: Video and installation of six books with black ink drawings

After I finish school, I intend to study a dual degree of Science and Economics at The University of Queensland where I hope to learn more about geography and economics. However, alongside this, I hope to continue to create artworks as much as possible. As an artist, I am inspired by the world around me and the things I like. I try to put this into my artworks so that other people can relate to it. Brisbane, and Australia as a whole, influence a lot of my art as most works I create are based off things from these areas. My selection into the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art makes me proud of my work and that I can really tell people how I feel through the medium of visual art.