THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE AND
DEATH
THEME : RELATIONSHIPS
My chosen theme for this project is R E L A T I O N S H I P S. The state of being connected
through links between people, animals and nature. My definition of relationships exerts a deeper,
emotional attachment towards the connotations of life and its relationship with death in
individuals. This interpretation introduces bonds and interlinks between individuals to create a
commitment to each other whether its love relationship or a friendship relationship.
In relation to my project, I have analysed this relationship of death from the passing of my
grandmother (passed away - 8/03/18). I have particularly focused on the relationship between life
and death and its effect on family life through assessing my own family and the effect death has
had on my grandfather, mother and myself.
As my coursework is based around an emotional meaning, my research was more confined to
death within my religion and the separation of relationships within families. Death in Sikhism is
very significant in terms of the journey the soul travels through after the passing of one. As my
grandmother was very religious, I wanted to include significant parts of my culture and religion to
add an intimate feel to my project. Key artists such as John Stezaker, Leslie Avon Miller, Annie
Vought and Wendy Hollander have heightened my knowledge and maturity within this project;
Researching these artists and infusing my style throughout my theme has transformed my
concepts and not only in this particular project but throughout art a-level so far.
Incorporating a journal entailing all my thought processes and concepts guided my way
throughout this project easily. This has helped me transform my initial ideas/concepts to plan and
think ahead on my development. The first two pages of my journal entail my thought processes
and plans before I chose to continue with this theme. The art of brainstorming and collection of
ideas/concepts has infused a greater and stronger pathway for the continuation of this project.
The title page initiated my trial of thought. I chose to reflect life and death through the simplicity of
the life of a candle. This painted image is presented through the start of a match (life and birth)
making its journey to light a candle in which the wax of the candle melts and diffuses (related to
death).
In terms of transitioning my thoughts into
physical inspirations, I created a collage of
secondary artworks from various artists. This
helped create my intention page to continue
to organise my plans. I had added research on
relationships in more depth to understand what
my plans were to execute them. I created two plans and brainstormed around these ideas
however, continuing my project, other inspirations and artist influences transformed my
coursework into its final outcome.
J O H N S T E Z A K E R was my first artist to analyse and examine. Stezaker’s
work explores photography and hidden identities through covering a series of
scenic landscapes over an individuals face. This aspect of hidden identities and
covering parts of ones face allowed me to transform my interpretations to infuse
relationships and death. I tailored my primary photos of objects, scenes, people
and old photos from the past that were located in my grandmothers house to
gain more inspiration and use my own material to experiment on.
I created a series of developments to break apart each detail and consideration
of Stezaker’s work. Development #1 entails photography and editing; This was a
crucial part of my development as my pictures were bright and did not fit into
Stezaker’s theme. I learnt various editing skills to comprehend the right amount
of brightness and tone in terms of shade and light. Development #2 imitates
Stezaker’s work through the black and white backgrounds and the hidden
identity of my grandmother. Death is portrayed as I experimented by covering
my grandmothers face initiating a sense of loss. The final artwork concludes this
SHARANPREET KAUR UPPAL
DEATH
THEME : RELATIONSHIPS
My chosen theme for this project is R E L A T I O N S H I P S. The state of being connected
through links between people, animals and nature. My definition of relationships exerts a deeper,
emotional attachment towards the connotations of life and its relationship with death in
individuals. This interpretation introduces bonds and interlinks between individuals to create a
commitment to each other whether its love relationship or a friendship relationship.
In relation to my project, I have analysed this relationship of death from the passing of my
grandmother (passed away - 8/03/18). I have particularly focused on the relationship between life
and death and its effect on family life through assessing my own family and the effect death has
had on my grandfather, mother and myself.
As my coursework is based around an emotional meaning, my research was more confined to
death within my religion and the separation of relationships within families. Death in Sikhism is
very significant in terms of the journey the soul travels through after the passing of one. As my
grandmother was very religious, I wanted to include significant parts of my culture and religion to
add an intimate feel to my project. Key artists such as John Stezaker, Leslie Avon Miller, Annie
Vought and Wendy Hollander have heightened my knowledge and maturity within this project;
Researching these artists and infusing my style throughout my theme has transformed my
concepts and not only in this particular project but throughout art a-level so far.
Incorporating a journal entailing all my thought processes and concepts guided my way
throughout this project easily. This has helped me transform my initial ideas/concepts to plan and
think ahead on my development. The first two pages of my journal entail my thought processes
and plans before I chose to continue with this theme. The art of brainstorming and collection of
ideas/concepts has infused a greater and stronger pathway for the continuation of this project.
The title page initiated my trial of thought. I chose to reflect life and death through the simplicity of
the life of a candle. This painted image is presented through the start of a match (life and birth)
making its journey to light a candle in which the wax of the candle melts and diffuses (related to
death).
In terms of transitioning my thoughts into
physical inspirations, I created a collage of
secondary artworks from various artists. This
helped create my intention page to continue
to organise my plans. I had added research on
relationships in more depth to understand what
my plans were to execute them. I created two plans and brainstormed around these ideas
however, continuing my project, other inspirations and artist influences transformed my
coursework into its final outcome.
J O H N S T E Z A K E R was my first artist to analyse and examine. Stezaker’s
work explores photography and hidden identities through covering a series of
scenic landscapes over an individuals face. This aspect of hidden identities and
covering parts of ones face allowed me to transform my interpretations to infuse
relationships and death. I tailored my primary photos of objects, scenes, people
and old photos from the past that were located in my grandmothers house to
gain more inspiration and use my own material to experiment on.
I created a series of developments to break apart each detail and consideration
of Stezaker’s work. Development #1 entails photography and editing; This was a
crucial part of my development as my pictures were bright and did not fit into
Stezaker’s theme. I learnt various editing skills to comprehend the right amount
of brightness and tone in terms of shade and light. Development #2 imitates
Stezaker’s work through the black and white backgrounds and the hidden
identity of my grandmother. Death is portrayed as I experimented by covering
my grandmothers face initiating a sense of loss. The final artwork concludes this
SHARANPREET KAUR UPPAL
