Sample Art and Design Personal statement
For the past twenty years sculpture has become an ever-larger presence in my life, to the point where for over a decade now it has been my vocation and my life’s passion, the crowning achievements of which have been having my works displayed in galleries and as dcor on a Channel 4 television show. Having grown as an artist principally through a holistic exploration of my own creativity, I now feel empowered to further develop my artistic abilities and branch out technically, conceptually and creatively through completing an MFA.
The defining element of my work to date has been immersing myself in the creation of multidimensional forms through eclectic experimentation with shaping and reshaping raw materials and juxtaposing different textures. Conceptually my art is anchored in my background in social behavioural science, an area in which I gained expertise during my undergraduate studies at Tel Aviv University. This field of study compelled me to devote my intellectual and artistic attentions to the human form and its relation to the outside world, a theme that has informed a great many of my works.
My work has revolved around capturing the essence of the human form as a manifestation of various mind-states, such as an early pre-occupation with women’s intertwined psychological vulnerabilities and strengths. I have progressed to exploring the complex, interdependent relationship between men, women and nature and the mechanisms of fertility, power and vulnerability through which these relations are perpetuated.
The tree, a source of endless wonderment to me owing to the almost human traits of the forms and movements of this most supremely natural of specimens, has been the key motif through which I have examined these relations. For me, trees symbolises both strength and fragility, as well as mysticism, renewal, life, wisdom and something of the unknown; they are the perfect conduit for an ever-deeper expression of the self. From a technical standpoint this muse has also allowed me to experiment not just with creating forms and movement, but also methods for creating the almost limitless different textures of wood and foliage. One technique I have developed to this end is a progressive process of encasing materials in plaster, carving forms from them and then re-dipping them to produce an assortment of often unexpected textures. The physical dimensions of trees–their ability to loom over people, reconfiguring light and shadows as they do so to create a deeply immersive experience in a manner not dissimilar to Louise Bourgeois’s Maman–has also encouraged me to work on large-scale, multi-level installations.
As I have grown creatively and technically as an artist it has been an honour to have opportunities to present my work to a wider audience. In addition to having had my works displayed in several different galleries across London, many of my works have been acquired by a number of art collectors; this has in turn led to me having been commissioned to work on sculptural projects for private collections, such as a 3.5-metre high stainless steel piece I created for a collector based in Italy. My work was also used as interior decoration on a Channel 4 series. For me opportunities such as these to present my ideas in sculptural form and integrate aesthetics and social observation for a wider audience lie at the heart of what drives me, and it is my hope that by completing an MFA I will be able to explore further the relationship between audience, art and artist, not to mention develop the artistic skills to allow me to continue to present my works in galleries and other public forums.
Although to a large extent my technical artistic skills and proficiencies have been developed through many years of personal experimentation in the studio and careful observation of works by artists who I admire, it is equally the case that I have embraced numerous opportunities to undertake formal studies. Over the past two decades I have taken an eclectic range of courses at Chelsea College of Art and Saint Martins, as well as completing a programme at the Sculpture Academy. It has been a joy to channel my conceptual ideas through newly acquired and nascent techniques, and I am eager to continue to nurture my technical skills through completing the MFA at Slade.
Foremost among the factors that attract me specifically to the MFA at Slade is the very broad definition that the School gives to the notion of sculpture, an ethos that I have always sought to embrace. I believe that the myriad sculptural forms and techniques that the School nurtures makes for a highly open-minded environment in which I will have the opportunity to learn from staff, visiting artists and fellow students who deploy techniques and mediums that I had never considered before. In turn I would be delighted to share my passion for textural experimentation with others. Indeed, having spent over two decades away from education as a practicing artist who has also gone through the odyssey of motherhood and lived in several different countries, I feel that I will be able to contribute a mature and worldly sense of perspective to student life at the School. The School’s large and open studio spaces also seem to be the ideal forum for both a free exchange of ideas and to allow students to have the physical and mental space needed to allow their ideas to be turned into art. The fact that Slade exists within one of the UK’s foremost seats of learning also appeals to the psychologically and socially expressive elements of my work; I can think of no more appropriate place for a person with serious interests in exploring these fields through art than an art school connected to an institution such as UCL.
Shorter version
For the past twenty years sculpture has become an ever-larger presence in my life, to the point where for over a decade now it has been my vocation and my life’s passion. Having grown as an artist principally through a holistic exploration of my own creativity, I now feel empowered to further develop my artistic abilities and branch out technically, conceptually and creatively through completing an MFA.
Conceptually my sculptures are anchored in my background in social behavioural science, an area in which I gained expertise during my undergraduate studies at Tel Aviv University. This field of study compelled me to devote my intellectual and artistic attentions to the human form and its relation to the outside world, a theme that has informed a great many of my works.
My work has revolved around capturing the complex, interdependent relationship between men, women and nature and the mechanisms of fertility, power and vulnerability through which these relations are perpetuated. The tree, a source of endless wonderment to me owing to the almost human traits of the forms and movements of this most supremely natural of specimens, has been the key motif through which I have examined these relations. For me, trees symbolises both strength and fragility, as well as mysticism, renewal, life, wisdom and something of the unknown. From a technical standpoint this muse has also allowed me to experiment not just with creating forms and movement, but also methods for creating the almost limitless different textures of wood and foliage. The physical dimensions of trees–their ability to loom over people, reconfiguring light and shadows as they do so to create a deeply immersive experience–has also encouraged me to work on large-scale, multi-level installations.
In addition to having had my works displayed in several different galleries across London, many of my works have been acquired by a number of art collectors; this has in turn led to me having been commissioned to work on sculptural projects for private collections, such as a 3.5-metre high stainless steel piece I created for a collector based in Italy.
I have embraced numerous opportunities to improve as an artist through undertaking formal studies. Over the past two decades I have taken an eclectic range of courses at Chelsea College of Art and Saint Martins, as well as completing a programme at the Sculpture Academy. It has been a joy to channel my conceptual ideas through newly acquired and nascent techniques, and I am eager to continue to nurture my technical skills through completing the MFA at Slade.
Foremost among the factors that attract me specifically to the MFA at Slade is the very broad definition that the School gives to the notion of sculpture, an ethos that I have always sought to embrace. I believe that the myriad sculptural forms and techniques that the School nurtures makes for a highly open-minded environment in which I will have the opportunity to learn from staff, visiting artists and fellow students who deploy techniques and mediums that I had never considered before. In turn I would be delighted to share my passion for textural experimentation with others. The fact that Slade exists within one of the UK’s foremost seats of learning also appeals to the psychologically and socially expressive elements of my work; I can think of no more appropriate place for a person with serious interests in exploring these fields through art than an art school connected to an institution such as UCL.
We hope this sample Art and Design personal statement has been enlightening.