Saoirse Radford

Acrylic on wooden pyramid
Statement

My work aims to investigate the unconscious mind by means of building a world separate to that of the logical mind. Through my work, I am attempting to create a dialogue between the conscious and unconscious self by using methods related to automatism, constantly stepping away and refreshing the way that I create images. I have been using dreams as a means of research. I analyse and transfer the imagery contained in my dream journal, allowing a language of symbolism to form from these images. I work in layers, sometimes hiding the earlier images completely, forming an intricate world of shapes and symbols, using a combination of both painting and drawing. My work has elements of abstraction and realism which express the fleeting images that pass as we dream. The fast and direct medium of drawing has helped me capture these elusive images. I have been researching Sigmund Freud’s study of psychoanalysis and its subsequent effect on the Surrealist Movement from 1920-1950. Artists like Eileen Agar, Alice Rahon, and Leonora Carrington have influenced me in understanding the complex value of dreams and symbolism through art.