Pamela Stretton

My artwork was borne out of an autobiographical study dealing predominantly with the female body. My original focuses included issues such as beauty ideals and the body’s relationship with popular culture, fashion, health and food, as well as the way women are perceived in society. Over time my work has evolved and branched into various avenues, yet the overall effect and feel of the work has remained consistent. I feel this is maintained due to the strong themes that run true and are suggested through the effects of my medium and process.

Inspired by print, most of my works take the form of digital inkjet prints, usually combining photographic images, text and iconography. The methods used to create the finished work involve re-working the print pixel by pixel by adding soft padding. This results in a visually appealing surface texture giving organic dimension to a flat print.

These detailed and ordered methods were intended as a comment on the notion of obsessive control very often exerted on the female body, while the padding made obvious reference to feminine softness. In contrast to this, the use of square formats, grids and pixels highlighted the notion of conformity, scale, scrutiny and fragmentation. In short, the whole image viewed in relation to the content of each tiny pixel sheds light on the many binaries present in each work and serves to maintain an element of dynamic tension.

While my earlier work remains largely figurative often aided by the presence of recognizable brands associated with the world of fashion, beauty, food and consumerism, subsequent branches of exploration include a series of simple yet almost symbolic objects. While evoking subtle culinary notions they still hint at feminine body concerns and sometimes reference quirky iconography from the world of online commerce and advertising. Self-portraiture has also been a strong element of my self-study, and has evolved and developed into an on-going series. Most recently this line of my work has shed light on the realm of narcissism and social media. I am currently working on a series called The Colour Space, which focuses on a re-introduction of colour to my work. Aside from shedding light on the digital element of my medium, this body of work makes reference to contemporary photography and editing, the world of interior design, as well as the psychology of colour and its effects on human emotion.