*digital graphics, PNG on (digital) canvas, 1080x1080px
In this open-end series, unprofoundly titled “Emoji Paintings”, the artist aims to personally reconnect with her creative roots—defined by childlike qualities of unlimited fantasy and a naive, carefree perspective on life—by translating typical motives from children’s drawings into simple, emoji-based graphics. Referencing the square-shaped canvases she used to paint on regularly herself as a child, she explores in which ways and to which extent her attitude towards her own artistic practice as well as the feelings she associates with the general act of creating have shifted as an artist predominantly working with digital tools as opposed to physical materials, aiming to revive its initial, meditative effects by creating a virtual environment for mental relaxation and personal healing.
As fully digitally created visuals consisting of emojis as a type of imagery commonly encountered within the cyberspace, these digital graphics additionally question the rising tendency of children starting to work with digital devices at an increasingly young age—most famously detected within the contemporary phenomenon of so-called “iPad kids”—and the potential consequences connected with this on-going movement of premature Internet usage both on children’s psychological well-being and their creative abilities.
(2025)