Miriam El Abbassi | Arts Editor
Featured Image: In The Eye Of…, oil paint on panel, 36′ x 36′. | Courtesy of Alexandra McDougall
Human; Nature is a collection of surrealism-style oil paintings by fifth-year Visual Art Studio student, Serena Kobayashi-LeBel, which explores the polarity between the age-old debate of “nature vs. nurture.”
Each painting is of a human subject positioned against a solid colour background but blends animalistic/non-human features to create a rather jarring image. For example, one of the pieces, “All Good Things Must…” depicts a woman with her hands clutched to her chest. Her hands, however, are painted as if they are autumn leaves. Another piece, “In The Eye Of…” shows a woman, seemingly, staring up towards the sky, but with flowering daisies growing out of her eyes.
By blurring the line between the human and non-human elements, it then begs the question: how different are we? By examining Kobayashi-LeBel’s artist statement, it seems like she wants the audience to reflect on the different characteristics within us that are innate, and what could be due to socialization. If something is innate and ingrained into our biology through thousands of years of evolution, do we have the power to change it? This may be the big question.
Kobayashi-LeBel describes her inspiration behind this exhibit as being firmly grounded in the exploration of certain themes: “What I talk about specifically in my pieces for Human; Nature is the relation between us and the animal we are at heart. Each subject matter is chosen very specifically, representing a different aspect of what it’s like to be human. Connecting our sentience with our long-forgotten animalistic past.”
It is this exploration that brings about even more questions, allowing the audience to fill in the blanks themselves and draw up their own interpretation. Kobayashi-LeBel alludes to this when addressing the titles of her paintings, saying that each is inspired by a common English proverb, but is left half-finished, making space for open interpretation.
Located in the Gales Gallery, within the Accolade West building, Human; Nature will be exhibited until January 16.
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