Lauren Scavo-Fulk: Contemporary Landscapes

Dear Memory, ~ September 11 - October 3, 2020

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Lauren Scavo-Fulk: Artist Statement

I am drawn to landscapes because they are both universal and personal; they are intertwined in both individual lives and collective histories, and they are historically and culturally relevant in the art community and in the larger world. Though they are constantly changing, they are ever-present.

Because landscapes are so involved in human life, they lend themselves well to the discussion of personal experience. My primary philosophical influence is phenomenology, a branch of philosophy that deals with the subjectivity of experience, as our knowledge of the world comes primarily through our senses. Because sensory input is the primary means through which we can interact with the world, as we are beings in physical forms, we rely on these senses for how we interpret our experiences.

My work is an examination of the strong connection that exists between human consciousness and its surrounding environment, specifically the way in which our sensory experience of a place influences our subjective interpretation of it. I present the viewer with scenes of heightened atmosphere that are indicative of a sense of reflection and quiet attention to the elements of the world that are both physical and nonphysical, as the external world reflects the internal life of the viewer.

By placing a wide border around each small-scale drawing and painting, I invite the viewer to consider one particular experiential moment. In these works, I place emphasis on the sense of vision, by manipulating sources of light and contrast to exaggerate the way in which the mind processes visual cues, creating a heightened sense of light and atmosphere. At the same time, however, the framing and presentation of my subject matter is straightforward, and the depiction of forms and perspective creates the illusion of reality. In presenting the subject in an objective manner, I hope to call to mind the illusion of objectivity that is often assumed in photographic images.
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My mark-making is often expressive; however, since my finished pieces are so small in scale, the expressiveness of these marks cannot be seen unless the pieces are viewed from a close distance. Thus, I am seeking to depict the contrast between the objective depiction of nature and the subjective human element that is always present in our interpretation of our surroundings.