Connect to Me By Vincent Chemney

acrylic paint, makeup packaging, nail polish, polymer clay, gel pens, craft gems on canvas

There's a theory that humans are attracted to shiny things due to our evolutionary desire to look for water. Since water reflects light and glimmers under the sun, us as humans may have developed a subconscious love for reflective textures and visuals. I've always found myself really drawn to this idea, true or not. I adore shiny, iridescent, glittery things. I find myself constantly trying new ways to incorporate these aspects into my art. ‘Connect to me’ is a prime example of this. For this artwork I was heavily inspired by a range of artists such as Nicole Nikolich and Gabriela Myers-Lipton. Both female artists, they draw from the bright, nostalgic elements of the internet that feel like a vibrant echo of a dreamy online past. Nikolich uses crochet to create works rooted in themes of femininity, emotion and connection. Channeling the contained chaos of the internet's earlier days. Myers-Lipton leans into similar visual motifs, utilising humor and embracing pixelated graphics to convey political messages and sentimental meaning. 

My aim in art is to create an interesting visual language through colour, shape and texture. I used recycled materials such as makeup packaging to create the blue and white ‘pixels’ pasted purposefully on the canvas. I find that a lot of modern technology is more boring and less creative than it was when it was first being developed. In exclusion of Apple's new coloured iphones and desktops, generally, the aesthetics of newer technology is more simple, sleek and grey. In ‘Connect to me’ I utilised and exaggerated the nostalgic vivid colours seen in early 2000s tech to create a playful visual which contrasts the minimalism of modern devices. Additionally, I hand wrote hundreds of 1s and 0s to further add to the depth and texture of the painting. The title ‘Connect to me’ holds a double meaning. When planning the artwork, I was inspired by the flashing messages of pop up screens desperately convincing you to buy a product, or join a website. The title on a more basic level, simply reflects the personal connection between people and communities that the internet facilitates. A bunch of code allows us to connect to others instantly, without the need for physical interaction. 

I intended for ‘Connect to me’ to be a bridge between the tactile and digital, the personal and the creative. It's vital to authentic artmaking to not take yourself too seriously. When you strip back your preconceived notions of ‘good art’, it allows you to truly explore the things you value and enjoy in the context of visual creativity.