In 2021 I successfully received Arts Council funding to explore connections between creative imagination, sight loss, hallucinations and the quality of sleep and dreaming. I stumbled across something called Troxler fading, which is where the image in the periphery vision disappears. This can be created through mediating on an image which has led me to incorporate this into a series of painting, making certain parts of the painting disappear induced by fixing the gaze. It is thought that periphery hallucinations are much more suggestible. This has led me to experiment with what painting can do by playing with this visual perception but also creating a sense of well-being through viewing the painting in a meditative way. I have started to experiment and find ways to bring aspects of these visual disorders and phenomena within the new development of artwork, focusing on painting. Below are some of the experimental new paintings on canvas that have evolved as a result of the findings of this project and are a current work in progress leading towards a new body of work for a solo exhibition in 2025.
Take a moment to fix your gaze on each painting as you scroll down. Spend about 1 minute if you can without blinking and observe the changes that occur. Then scroll down to the next image and repeat noticing any changes.
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
If you would like to share any visual experiences from this exercise please send them to me in the contact form below.
Thank you!