Emma Blackwood's Statement

When one looks at the naked body in its vulnerability and strength, inevitably the complexities of one’s own ‘internal theatre’ are brought along to the viewing – our own humanity, relationships and experience. Emma Blackwood’s work seeks to explore this theatre and thereby play with the space between the viewer and the viewed.

Interested in the intimate and personal, Emma paints intensely private portraits – clandestine moments that are captured and made public. By including items of clothing – underwear or jeans perhaps - the figures are no longer passive nudes: the line between our world and the removed world of the artwork is blurred. They seem more real, more provocative, more relevant.

Motivated by the energy and humanity of the naked form, she conveys this in her vigorous mark-making on canvas using a palette knife and acrylics. She applies the paint in thick layers in a series of free strokes that loosely capture the body.

Emma often works with dramatic lighting and likes to create strong compositions and atmospheres that reflect the intensity of the naked body. She paints monumental poses that are physically powerful, and demand a connection with the viewer.