Artist statement

There is a divide between my Polish heritage and my knowledge of my family’s origin, and their experiences that enabled them to live safely in Australia. My artwork is a series of postcards inspired by Glen Skien and Cindy Sherman. The subject is a figure covered in a white sheet, wearing a floral headband. The white cloth over the face represents the disconnect I experience with my Polish heritage and the loss of cultural connections through emigration. The floral headdress features poppies, the national flower of Poland, to symbolise peace and death while the screen-printed sepia postcards illustrate an aged effect. The text on the postcards – ‘Babcia, I miss you’ – emphasises absence and the loss of connection with my Babcia, my Polish great-grandmother.

Process

Previously I had celebrated my Polish culture but in these postcards I represented loss, symbolised by my great-grandma, my babcia. Working in 3D, I manipulated tissue paper to create a headdress of vibrant poppies. I draped myself with a white sheet and wore the headdress when photographed to imply absence. I am interested in how colour can create meaning. A photograph was selected and digitally manipulated to remove colour and increase contrast, then converted to a screen-printing stencil. I blended inks and printed using a sepia-brown colour, embracing the flaws to reflect a weathered and aged appearance in the postcards.

About the artist

My name is Soleil Knight and I am a senior at Maroochydore State High School. After graduation I am excited to attend university and travel overseas. Creative Generation Excellence Awards has enabled me to pursue my art at a higher level and explore ways to convey personal beliefs and experiences.