Takeover

Emily Chu

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(b. 1989, ACAD Grad Year - 2011)

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TAKEOVER; 2011

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Acrylic and mylar on canvas

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48 x 24 in. (121.9 x 61 cm)

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ARTIST STATEMENT

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My paintings are simply altered extensions of my practice as an illustrator and they are heavily influenced by both illustration and design. One could say that my paintings are more experimental, expressive pieces derived from my appreciation of simple, bold, aggressive design as well as the precisely combined color palettes from trial and error illustration. The process that I create my paintings are much like the process that I use everyday in my practice -- Through a series of roughs, studies, experiments, and research. Most of the time, my process includes many full scale drawings of the composition as well as numerous studies created from acrylic paint on clear mylar.

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Being an illustrator, my paintings are created under multiple themes and concepts. They normally do not fit under one large, specific theme, but are really just apart of short series of the things that I am interested in at the time - Most of it coming from experimental trails of color combinations, patterns, typography, new medium explorations, etc. This piece in particular is apart of a series of paintings that I label as"Red and Green". Within this series are numbers of expressive compositions using this odd/ harmonious color pairing to speak of the concept disruption.

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This piece, "Takeover" is an expression that is inspired by one of the many contrasting color palettes that I frequently use in my designs and illustrations. It is created from many built-up layers of paint, each layer of the same repeating image that explores the concept of "another attack or takeover of what is comfortable and peaceful". It represents a bold disruption (it could also be seen as violent) on something that is beautiful and under appreciated. The layering of the piece represents the repetition of this notion of disruption as well as shows how this disruption is so aggressively contained - Revealing its undesired nature. Although this is the main concept that I decided to capture in this piece, it definitely also speaks to the general concepts of rebellion, individuality, inequality, nature, conformity and conflict.