Title

Surround Yourself With Flowers (Collage) 2

Creator

Julia Paiano, Ursinus College

Preview

Student Exhibition Year

2023

Description

Collage of photographs on canvas depicting a hand holding a flower. Presented as part of the 2023 Annual Student Exhibit in the Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College.

Artist Statement

My work over my college career has primarily entailed an exploration of the experiences, people, and environments connected to me.

Aside from digital photography and collaging, I also practice film photography, video, and graphic design. The K-8 school I attended in Philadelphia received little to no funding for the arts, suppressing my instinct to create. Finding that expressive outlet as an adult is a way to scratch that itch I had for so many years. Although I chose to focus on the medium of photography, I am most inspired by murals and muralists. Murals are such an intimate yet public display of creativity that draw me in every time I see them. They also remind me of home.

I create my collages from photos I take. Over the course of the semester, I practice various techniques for collaging, such as ripping photos in different sizes and collaging in different shapes. This exploratory process has sparked a strong love for collaging and made me truly understand the connection I have with the medium. The top layer of photos often covers several layers underneath, symbolizing that there is much more than meets the surface.

I want to convey a sense of nostalgia for those who experience my art. Places and people might feel familiar…but not quite. A piece may evoke scents of my mom’s home cooked meals to me, but your mom’s to you. This ability to connect across experiences is something I seek to achieve in each piece I work on. I hope the raw, imperfect, personal qualities of my subjects are conveyed to viewers.

My current work is dedicated to the people who make me who I am. I am honoring their ability to uplift me and help me grow into the woman I am.

Rights Statement

Copyright of the underlying work is held by the artist. The digital image presented here is for educational purposes only and is not for commercial use.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.