Chloe KOPEC
Toorak College
VCE Studio Arts 3 & 4
Artist statement: Maria 17 is a series that explores the role of femininity within the modern era of feminism. It examines the aesthetic connections between feminine and feminist stereotypes, revolving around a key theme of the feminine identity. I used floral motifs and a carefully considered colour palette of warm pinks and cool, blue highlights across all images – creating unity and ensuring cohesion across the variety of perspectives presented. Using my gorgeous little sister as an ‘ageless’, long-haired model, I’ve worked to create emotions familiar to women through slightly surreal perspectives. I was inspired primarily by Cindy Sherman’s mid-century feminist photographs and Gregory Crewdson’s cinematic stills. The name of my artwork, Maria 17, is derived from the 2017 spring/summer collections from Dior – Maria Gazia Chiuri’s first collections with Dior, which included the now iconic ‘We should all be feminists’ T-shirt.
Also known as Giclee prints or bubble-jet prints, pigment ink-jet prints are generated by computer printers from digital or scanned files using dye-based or pigment-based inks. A series of nozzles spray tiny droplets of ink onto the paper surface in a precise pattern that corresponds to the digital image file. In dye-based prints the ink soaks into the paper, whereas in pigment-based prints the ink rests and dries on top of the paper surface.
Whilst the term is broad, pigment ink-jet prints have come to be associated with prints produced on fine art papers. They are the most versatile and archival method of printing available to photographers today. A wide variety of material on which an image can be printed with such inks are available, including various textures and finishes such as matte photo paper, watercolour paper, cotton canvas or pre-coated canvas.
