Lucia Volker
Investigating transparency and opacity is my current conceptual focus, and has been for the past few years. I use the process of layering materials to conceal and expose parts of the image to describe personal, yet relatable narratives. In addition to transparency and opacity. I began thinking about the lack of truth in mass media, and how editing, censorship and social media distorts information. I started to intentionally cover up parts of my paintings with different materials to create a feeling of masking or blocking. There’s a curiosity, and perhaps a let down, when you know you’re not getting the whole picture. I’m questioning what’s going on below the surface, what’s being withheld, what’s not being said, and who’s doing the hiding in different types of interactions and contexts. I think about this in a socio-political way, but also in the context of relationships and self censorship. I am curious about how a line can convey moments of honesty or disconnection within relationships between two people, or link larger social structures that impact individuals. My fascination with layers and materials stems from printmaking, where my classical training lies, but has become more important as I branch into other ways of working. Many of my overarching themes were conceived through experimentation in print, and are often more effectively described by other media. I initially became interested in transparency and opacity through learning to mix ink for printing processes, and it has continued to be a central theme of my work.
