The Secret Lives of Emma by Natasha Walker

Sometimes I hit a brick wall and need to start again, but that's all part of the adventure.īarbara Walker (b.1964) Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archivesĭavid: I Was There IV (2019), from your 'Shock and Awe' series is a portrait of a young Black soldier made on tracing paper and laid over a photograph of a white soldier. It could be a gem of information that I wasn't aware of, a statement, a colour, or even the feel of old paper. Sometimes, when I'm flicking through materials, I'll find a nugget that inspires me and then I run with it. Making art is about curiosity and it's the same in the archive – I love playing in the unknown. I'll go into archives looking for the backstories behind events, individuals or paintings, but I never know what I'm going to find. What attracts you to this way of working?īarbara: I'm interested in history and how it informs the present.

It's about empowering them.ĭavid: Archival research plays a large role in your practice. When I represent them, they're standing strong, hence why they are large. However, I don't want to be seen as a victim because these figures are not victims. You'll see that the Black figures often appear in the corner, or on the side, and to an extent that's how I feel in society. In the 'Vanishing Point' drawings, embossing achieves that erasure. In previous works you see me wash away, cut out, isolate or diminish certain aspects of an image and bring others to the forefront.

2022, graphite on paper overlaid with mylar by Barbara Walker (b.1964)

The Secret Lives of Emma by Natasha Walker