Riot Series 1981- 2 by Chila Kumari Singh Burman
Etching, lithograph, aquatint, screen print and paint on paper
"Riot Series was made in response to the political and social unrest in the UK in the early 1980s. In one work, Burman references anti- nuclear protests, which attracted hundreds of thousands of people around this time. Another piece refers to the 1981 uprisings across England- including in Liverpool 8/ Toxteth and Chapeltown, Leeds which broke out in response to racist policing. These events held personal connections for Burman, as she grown up near Liverpool in Bootle, and her then- partner was arrested during the unrest in Chapeltown. Combining different print methods, Burman creates a fragmented appearance, echoing the themes of tension and conflict across the series."
By the time visiting Tate Liverpool, there's another series of mix media images attracts me. A group of print works from Chila. Once I came back home I did a bit research of her. (A short and thorough introduction of her by the link. https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/who-is/who-chila-kumari-singh-burman)
After I know more about her, I recognise this group of her early works are nothing like what she does now and she famous of. However, I do love her early works rather than her colourful, shining and busy sculptures what she makes now days.
I really do like the work that she response the anti- nuclear protests, especially after I researched what this protesting about at 1980s. As you can see the part of the image that I zoomed in. The red images which are the female protestors, from their face I could feel their brave, their determined and the united of female power. The black ink marks and white writing she added helping to fulfilled the image as well. I think she catching the moment of the movement just right. Compare to her colourful sculptures, I feel this group of works has stronger meanings.
Then I thought should I bring the similar contrast into my photographs?
Inspired by her works, I print my images on tracing papers, did line drawing on them, stamp letters on them and re-co, de-co them.
This image is my favourite. Ink pen, red colour, separate the areas by the body parts and the lines direction is tracing the muscle and the structure of human body. I leave the other side empty, same reason as always, image needs a natural gap for the visual.
Then I add layers, because the tracing paper has a half transparency, so all the images could be seen. Are they too busy? If that's it, how should I and how could I projecting them?
Cheap testing on the light box, apparently the light helps a lot! Then what I should do? Make bigger light boxes? Print the images on what kind of paper or fabrics? Scale? Pick one of them or all of them?
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