I began exploring the topic of 'worlds within worlds' by creating observational drawings of distorted views. I used charcoal to record the view out of a window, and soft pastel to document the reflection of a coastal town. Both of these are examples of worlds trapped inside another context, as a small part of the wider scene is contained within another element. For example, the houses are shown from the perspective of another house, and the reflection is within a rockpool.
In each of the drawings, I used bold marks and high contrast to create an intensity that makes the worlds seem chaotic. In the first image, the houses seem cramped together and the perspective changes slightly for each one, to give the impression that the viewer is moving around to take in the view. All the houses look similar and this makes me question the different things happening in each one, and the different perspectives you would get of the view from their windows. I included the figure from Paula Modersohn-Becker's 'Crouching' because it seems contemplative and solemn, as if they are questioning their place in the distorted world they can see. I feel that the medium I have used fits well with this, as the dark, expressive marks create a sombre atmosphere.
In the second drawing, only the buildings on the hill are reflected in the water and the imposing sky is left out. The vibrant colours are also missed out, which gives the reflection a hazy effect. The world in the rock pool is quite inviting because it seems more intimate than the wider landscape, so the viewer is drawn into it. I added a figure from Georges Seurat's 'Dancing Couple', which i have rendered in colour. It's free movement adds a sense of joy, and its amusing to see such an unexpected character in an otherwise usual seaside town. The figure raises the question as to whether the scene is real or imagined, or at least whether the figure is just part of a fantasy world.
I wanted to channel the eclectic feeling of Makinson's work, with unexpected characters creating strange narratives. I was also inspired by her landscapes, captured in windows and wanted to isolate parts of my own drawings in reflections and the views out of the window.
I then placed elements from my images into a separate collage, to explore ideas about isolation. The window to the frantic outside world is contrasted by the stark, white walls of the inside room. The crouching figure on the floor is too small to see out of the window and is instead watching the distorted reflection in the puddle. The puddle itself is unusual because it is inside, so gives the impression that the room is abandoned and derelict. This makes the character seem even more vulnerable and isolated, especially because the foetal position looks closed-off. However, the figure is joined by Seurat's 'Dancing Couple', who emerge from the reflection. They seem to be a figment of the imagination because they don't have a reflection. The crouched f who is staring intently at them
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