The late Helen Chadwick (18 May 1953 – 15 March 1996), was a British born painter, sculptor and photographer (Beckett, 1996). Chadwick’s work frequently challenges the idea of personal identity, in particular female identity by using her own body to help portray her ideology in a highly influential way (Nationalgalleries.org, 2004). Chadwick’s work has played a key role in helping women have a voice within modern art culture.
Helen’s series of four photographic wall pieces, titled ‘Viral Landscapes’, depict Pembroke shire’s coastal landscapes (Modern Art Oxford, 2016). However, this project is not just your average landscape project as the use of layers within her work is prominent. Enlarged with great detail and overlaid onto the photographs are microscopic patterns which are photographs of cells extracted from Helen’s own body. In particular cellular tissues removed from her ears, mouth, blood, kidneys and cervix (Art Fund, 2014). As well as using her own body to create a personal touch, she has also added a ‘sea wash’ which consists of coloured pigmented paints onto the canvas itself (Modern Art Oxford, 2016). This creates a more authentic feelings to allow the audience to become more engulfed in the naturalistic aspect of the photographs. The theory of the signifier and signified is extremely relevant within Helen’s work, on the surface her work is just landscape photographs with pretty colourful patterns overlaid, however there are much deeper meanings which Chadwick wanted to portray.
Helen’s work often is created with multiple meanings in mind, most of which are extremely personal and passionate. The most popular theory which is relevant within ‘Viral Landscapes’ is the complex metaphor of viruses. The cell overlay is ruining the photograph of the landscape below it, spreading like a disease, much like a virus spreading within its host. This could relate to multiple meanings such as environmental pollution or prompted by the AID’s epidemic in the late 80’s (Art Fund, 2014), which was a passionate subject for Chadwick.
My personal favourite metaphor for Chadwick’s ‘Viral Landscapes’ is the idea of environmental pollution, as it is still a very prominent issue within today’s society. We are ruining the earth, much like the cells are ‘ruining’ the landscape below them.
Human beings have become the earths virus, taking over and changing the natural world to the point where everything is threatened, even our very own existence. (Walker Art Gallery, 2006)
Bibliography
Beckett, A. (1996). WHAT A SWELL PARTY IT WAS. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/what-a-swell-party-it-was-1335102.html [Accessed 6 May 2019].
Jaimie-Leigh Moses - Visual Literacy 