Tag: mixed media

“nobody, no crime” is an imaginative take on Swift’s part on a true crime story, featuring HAIM band member Este Haim as the centre of a missing person case after being cheated on by her husband.

For this work, I took inspiration from postal censorship used during the world wars with key parts of the texts removed and only leaving the lyrics and words which mirror the song. I scanned and removed all the lettering and images from an article found in my local newspaper.

How can they prove it with nothing to back it up? 📰

Scanography

Despite its name, “happiness” has a deceptive title. It’s a track about moving on from a decaying relationship, but acknowledging the bits of joy that existed within a more destructive, hurtful context.

Behind the image I wanted to play with the context of acid rain but I just didn’t know how to execute it properly and after lots of brainstorming I wanted to have a figure crying, the acid rain tears as acid rain decays statues which is a metaphor for the relationship described in the song. I think this has to be one of my favourite pieces from the series, simple but so effective.

What do you think? 🌧

“Dorothea” is the eighth song on evermore, as well as the first song that Taylor Swift wrote for this album. Taylor referred to the character as a “girl who left her small town to chase down Hollywood dreams.” “tis the damn season” is likely the story of her return back home for the holidays. “Dorothea” itself seems to be told from the point of view of an old hometown lover.

The song mirrors “The Lucky One” from Taylor’s Red album too, I got the imagery of a retro American shop front covered in small televisions for the tiny screens, this could also be referring to FaceTime and video chatting with the lockdown or busy schedules. 📺

2,4 and 6 HB Pencils, Scanned

“coney island” is Taylor’s first collaboration with The National after working heavily with band member Aaron Dessner on both the writing and production of evermore and folklore. Through the use of back-and-forth conversational lyrics littered with imagery that is rich with bygone experiences, it evokes a heavy feeling of loss and nostalgia for a past relationship where effort was not equal from both sides.

The lyrics contrast the imagery of Coney Island which is known for the theme park but the melancholy lyrics and dark imagery of dark greys and lonely on a busy New York beach. 🎡

Acrylic Paint, New Media Art

“ivy”, the tenth track from evermore, tells the story of a married woman falling in love with a person who is not her husband, leading to an affair.

The use of ivy is interesting as ivy plants can stick so firmly that they remove paint, damaged siding, and can even grow through window casings into the inside of the building. These plants are toxic and destructive, which is an interesting juxtaposition to the relationship.🪴

New Media Art

“cowboy like me” is a country-style song reminiscent of Taylor’s early days. It tells the story of two swindlers who fall in love through a cat-and-mouse fling. This was one of the difficult songs to get imagery and feeling without stating the obvious and using cowboys. I used film photography in the same was I did for “tolerate it” to get the old fashioned feeling and how previous things and can remind you of a loved one. 🥾

Film Photography

“long story short” is an ode to her lovers and the drama surrounding them in tabloids and her in the papers. I come across some old photos of myself and remembered the feelings I was going through at the time of a bad break up and what people said about me.

Long story short, it was a bad time

Long story short, I survived 🫀

Polaroid, New Media Art.

“Marjorie” is track 13 off of Taylor Swift’s ninth album evermore, and is a tribute to her late grandmother, Marjorie Finlay.

I recently lost my Granddad and currently experiencing similar feelings and thoughts the lyrics say especially coming up to Christmas at the time of making this, this song has a very special place for me and I think is very self-explanatory. 🧾

Scanography

“Closure” is track 14 on evermore, which the narrator lays into an ex who can’t stand the idea that she’s still mad at him.

The lyrics of tears, beers and candles really stuck out to me though this song was the hardest to create an artwork and was the last one I created.

This piece is the only painted work throughout the series and I wish I did more now! I used the ideas of green bottles to covey the envy with some abstract colours of candles burning and glowing in the background. 🍺

Acrylic on cardboard.