IB Visual Arts
Simona Veljanovski
In my exhibition I hope to captivate the viewers eyes using bright, rich, and vivid colours to represent the power of the imagination. Imagination is key to understanding how everyone’s perspective and experiences in the world are different. I wanted to emphasise the influence that imagination has on our emotions, thoughts and feelings about the world seen in the symbolic use of colour throughout the artworks. For instance, I explore how imagination exists throughout childhood and adulthood, and how it can change over time to bring new ideas into the world and change how we feel about the world around us. Imagination allows us to envision the impossible and create new ideas and concepts which enhance the human experience – however, imagination may also have the potential to diminish it. If we imagine something that is negative than it can bring negative feelings and emotions to an individual, causing them distress and anxiety. Hence, I want my audience to envision the power that imagination has on the human experience and how it is diverse and vivid in nature. Imagination is a beautiful faculty which should be celebrated as it brings a sense of purpose and meaning to our lives.
explore natural motifs throughout many of my artworks to portray the importance of giving hope to enhance a relaxing and rejuvenating mentality. Nature is presented in many ways such as through flowers and forest scenery, particularly in artworks such as Mushroom Forest, Flowers in the Sky, and Root’s. Moreover, in some artworks the idea of trees with roots becomes a metaphor for the power of imagination on formulating ideas and sharing meaningful experiences with others. Another aspect of nature explored is the disparity between the ocean and the land – the ocean represents the mystery and strangeness of the world while the land represents reason and an awareness of surroundings. Hence, the ocean or sea can be seen as a symbol for imagination and irrationality while the land and manmade structures symbolise logic and rationality. This concept of the irrationality of the imagination is portrayed in artworks such as Dots by the Sea and Christmas, where there is clear distinction between reality and what our mind wants us to see. However, bringing about a connection between these two worlds - the real world and the world of imagination – can spark the manifestation of new ideas to enhance the human experience, while also bringing hope into the real world. This powerful connection is symbolised in the reoccurring use of different coloured thread to demonstrate how the imagination can bring many sensations and spirits into the real world.
The artworks each display varying scenes, landscapes and settings where connections can be made between the rationality of the physical world and the absurdity of the imaginative world, as a means to highlight the diversity of human experiences. I wanted to illustrate how perspectives differ across individuals and how this affects our potentials as humans. Particularly, I created visual impact to captivate the viewers to focus not only with the simple patterns and shapes presented across my artworks, but also the vivid colours which are there to endorse positive connotations such as a sense of hospitality and warmth. The artworks are arranged to present the contrast between reality and imagination – the natural world and the invented world. From this, the power of imagination can be celebrated in its ability to draw from our experiences with the world and combine them with the complete unknown to create something new. Imagination allows us to explore the constraints of our environment into a world of dreams where aspiration for harmony can be brought upon the world.
simona Veljanovski
Flowers in the Sky
Series of three digital photo collage
35 x 26 cm each
The silhouette of a person created by a union of white flowers forth an elegant sunset in three colour varieties. From the original purple variation of the artwork, I created two others using different colour schemes in my exploration of how colours bring about different feelings and sensations to the viewer. From this I wanted to explore the diversity of the human mind, which is directly symbolised through the diversity of colour, and how the beauty of imagination is portrayed in nature.
Houses by the Sea
Oil painting on board
30 x 30 x 2 cm
This artwork explores feelings of nostalgia which brings comfort and warmth to our hearts. Depicted through the beautiful scenery of houses facing a bright blue water and luscious greens of the earth, I want to remind my viewers of the importance of connection. Through this painting I attempted to share what my perspective of ‘home’ looks like to help me grow connections with other people in the world, as human connection has the power to create harmony.
Mushroom Forest
Hand coloured lino-cut print
56 x 38 cm
Tranquillity and growth come together in this artwork, depicting the colourful scene where plants and creatures and thrive in harmony. Accompanied by the Latin phrase ‘concordia parvae res crescont’ translating to ‘in harmony small things grow’, I wanted to depict the beauty of nature to evoke a sense rejuvenation, the same kind which can come from the wonders of the imagination. This scene is inspired by my own imagination and idea of what harmony looks like within nature.
Spirits of Colour
Wire sculpture with cotton thread and found book
43 x 43 x 43 cm
I wanted to present thread as a symbol between the real world and the imaginative world to depict the power of the human mind to share our experiences and perceptive of the world through story. From books we have the ability the create new worlds which defy the constraints of the real world. Hence, the metaphor of a tree and its roots, and how it and grow into something beautiful. From there, the thread hanging around the tips of the branches allows for a path to be made from our imaginations into the real world.
Christmas
Wool tapestry in sourced frame
16 x 24 cm (frame size: 30 x 39 cm)
This tapestry expresses the warmth and joy of Christmas time from the perspective of a child. I wanted to explore the imagination of a child during the holidays, Santa Claus being a perfect figure as he brings joy and happiness to many children. The idea of Santa is irrational yet our collective imagination makes him real. I decide to create the scene in the living room to present feelings of comfort and warmth which are represented in the fireplace and Christmas tree, giving the piece a homely feel.
Dots by the Sea
Oil on board
30 x 30 x 2 cm
In this oil painting, I wanted to illustrate how sometimes our vision and imagination can be irrational through the repetition of dots. With the background of a rock pool leading to an ocean, I juxtapose the rationality of nature with the mental images we experience. I believe that there must be a balance between the real world and imaginative world; that is, a balance between the rational and irrational. I try and argue this through the repetition of dots and their vivid colour to present the striking importance of imagination.
Roots
Cotton embroidery and sourced frame
23 cm diameter
Roots are a metaphor for the power of imagination and the human ability to formulate new ideas and share experiences with the world. My artwork draws a direct parallel between the growth of plants in nature and the growth of our imaginations, while the use of thread as the roots becomes a symbol for the connection between the real world and imaginative world. Through the beauty of nature, the power of imagination can be celebrated to illustrate how humans can grow their understanding to bring about hope and harmony.
Windows of Perspective
Series of 4 lino prints with embroidery on fabric
Overall size: 84 x 62 cm
Imagination and emotion are intertwined: visual triggers from our imagination can bring about psychological links to our emotions and feelings. Hence, I wanted to explore how different emotions can be generated simply by our perspective, which is presented through the metaphor of a window. Through each window you can see the abstract and complex aspects of both the real and imaginative world, evoking feelings such as fear, confusion, peace, and hope which is also symbolised in the colour imagery of the delicate embroidery.
process portfolio
