A&D ANNUAL 2021

Renee Henzell

Renee Henzell is an emerging contemporary urban silkscreen and multimedia artist. Her practice is directly akin to her psycho-geographical drift walks where themes, subject matter and colour palettes are aroused from her subconscious as she moves through the landscape. Social and cultural influences are intertwined to create dreamlike compositions which exorcise the manipulation of both real and fictitious memories. The present blends into the past in the human consciousness and this sets the precedent for the way Renee explores the interior of all things exterior. Renee’s need to evoke playfulness and travel back to the exterior has resulted in a new body of work ‘Cabin Fever’, inspired by the glamour, freedom and excitement of the aviation industry and culture of the 1960s. Found stock images, digitally manipulated then edited, are used to create passport influenced portraits which are then intuitively selected and emotively created whilst responding to 1960s music played in the studio. Colours, materials, and composition happen in artistic flight as Renee’s memories are aroused and possible travel destinations are envisaged. The portraits are suspended in a dreamlike haze gently inviting the viewer into the cabin where the journey and service is just as exciting as the dream destination.