Helena Xuereb
Strokes of Paint outlines the adaptability of artists to perform under unusual circumstances. The artworks are conveyed across a series of improvised films that depict an artist’s personal experience of working independently. Strokes of Paint shows an artist painting black curvaceous lines of a body which is influenced by the music presented in the films. It also shows how the movement of the paint across the face and arms transforms the body, suggesting a spiritual change within that symbolises adaptability.
The artist displayed in Parts One and Two is not only the performer but also the director, make-up artist and cinematographer, similar to earlier times in cinema when actors and actresses were expected to sing, dance and act as well as having the responsibility of their own costume and make-up.
Strokes of Paint illustrates a narrative of being immersed in a fantasy world, and the ability to become completely lost in the space of ones’ own home. Creatives in lockdown may feel cut off from their communities due to long periods of confinement which may lead to an altered state of mind. In times of difficulty an artist can learn the most by overcoming these challenges. For example, the monochrome films were created with limited materials and equipment, demonstrating a way to adapt during testing times. The homemade films also demonstrate an intimate relationship between an artist and a camera in their own private space.
Strokes of Paint: Part one, 2020
Video
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