TIME LOOPS

Set on a bold yellow background, ‘Ditto’ is the final artwork to be released from Lena Brazin’s solo exhibition. ‘Ditto’ follows in the new series of works with Brazin’s layered approach alongside the reoccurring motifs of the clock in the central pane surrounded by circular fruits, but this time in much bolder and deeper colours.

Featuring the loosest mark making of all three of the new works, richly coloured cherries, grapes and leaves form a circle around two heads, boldly and intuitively painted in black, rendering them into the foreground. The seductively loose brushstrokes add to the tension in this work, as these two faces move towards each other, heading for a tender kiss.

The layering of colours and hints of symbolism and narrative within this work make for a highly engaging study of this work, drawing the viewer in to explore the depths of the piece and Brazin’s emotively charged hand. The numbers and hands of the clock face bear a stark reminder of the passage of time, as are the fruits which now are richly coloured and alluring but soon will break down and return to the earth, as all things must.

This body of work centres around human emotion, exploring themes of love, time, karma, attachment, cycles, nostalgia, reality, illusions, dreams, fragility, beauty, passion, desire, connecting and breaking apart. In the past year we have experienced the extremes of human emotion and grieved the loss of love; not being surrounded by those we love while also the loss of love that could be, the chance meeting of strangers. And this is the reason ‘Ditto’ hits the viewer even harder, the heightened emotion coming from our own collective experience ever more real.

Brazin’s work explores the contemporary self, in all its contradictions and immersive moments. Her interest in observing the acute everyday moments and the emotions we are each subjected to and the portrayal of these feelings across a two dimensional plane. This intuitive and responsive way of working picks the viewer up and transports them into an expressive moment created by the artist. Transmitting her own feelings across the medium of figurative painting, Brazin creates highly emotive works which ooze with raw energy.

Continuing with this new series of works, ‘Fuse’ is the second artwork to be released and features Brazin’s signature bold palette coupled with incredibly soft layering for such a bold application. The background features fruits rendered in loose brushstrokes; grapes, apples and papaya form a wreath around the circumference of the piece.

These circular fruits are representative of the circle of life and fertility, acting as a stark reminder that love and all emotions surrounding it are part of Mother Nature’s plan. It is built into us, as it is built into the tree which bears fruit. A clock has been softly placed in the centre of the work; a reminder of passing time and memory, possibly that there is a time limit on this intimate moment.

The soft palette is disturbed by Brazin’s confident black line work which creates the silhouette of two faces leaning into each other. Symbolically, fruit can be highly sexual and the stance of these two figures provide the scene with much sexual tension. An intimate moment shared between these two figures is also shared with the audience as Brazin’s emotionally charged brush pulls the viewer in.

‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ is the first artwork to be released in Lena Brazin’s solo exhibition ‘Time Loops’ and is an example of a new direction for the artist. Building on her past body of works, this series takes a more considered approach, building incredibly soft layers to form an image laced with symbolism.

Soft flora and fora are loosely referenced in a circle around the centre, forming a wreath of gentle falling flowers. In the centre a clock fades into the background while on top of this two figures embrace, holding their faces close to one another.

This new body of work created for the exhibition centres around human emotion, exploring themes of love, time, karma, attachment, cycles, nostalgia, reality, illusions, dreams, fragility, beauty, passion, desire, connecting and breaking apart.

Created using graphite and wax pastels on paper, the softness of the medium further enhances the tender moment between these two figures. Brazin manages to capture a highly emotive scene, one which is charged with sensitivity while also displaying her confidence as an artist with strong and confident mark making.