Untitled09 (scars series) (2019) Painting by Elena Mishina

scar - a mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed completely and fibrous connective tissue has developed ... (def.)

The series represents a visual and contextual exploration of scars as a concept . Scarring may occur on various levels - anatomic, psychosomatic, emotional, environmental, touching upon animate and inanimate objects. In essence, a scar is a recollection, a permanent mark and reminder of events of the past, forever changing the initial prototype, whether it comes to physical scars, emotional wounds. In the same context, construction and excavation projects may be also considered as "scars" on the face of the earth, or drawings and etchings on paper or other surfaces ...

Scars are conventionally viewed as something negative both in individual perception and in society , but they can also be synonymous of growth, metamorphosis and healing. Whilst partially referencing the pain and the suffering associated with scarring, this study reflects on the topic in a rather neutral context, viewing it in both positive and negative aspect, as a memory, both individual and collective, a visual anamnesis of the past.

The imagery for the series is inspired by the visually fascinating aspect of scar healing, focusing on the four stages - hemostasis, inflammatory, proliferative, and maturation. At the same time, this abstract representation suggests actions or events, urban surroundings, referencing ecological and oppidan issues, drawing parallels between conscious and subliminal, physical and psychological states, human nature and the surrounding environment, internal and external ... Gestural / action painting approach allows me to express the theme on a deeper level. Energetic movement of the brush, violent strokes and subtle smudges as well as spontaneously random etchings reveal all the intensity and emotional nuances and the progressive dynamic of scar formation and healing over time.

Related themes

Gestural ArtAction PaintingContemporary ArtAbstract ArtConceptual Art