Evocation by Isla Corbett

My artwork focuses on the association of memories with different objects, and the corresponding elicitation of emotions. As a repeating immigrant to Brisbane with my roots in Ireland, I find my identity is conflicted between these opposing cultures. The memories of my childhood years spent in both places evoke gratitude for having experienced two rich cultures, but also melancholy for feeling not fully Irish and not fully Australian. These emotions often surface from memorabilia, alluded to through the positioning of the subject looking in an obscured box, challenging the audience to contemplate the sentimental value of the item.

Colour is utilised in the warm yellow tones of the sunflowers and background to reflect the sunny disposition of Brisbane and its people, while the cool blue tones represent the comforting yet more sombre nature of Ireland with its indoor lifestyle and dreary weather. Thus, my self-portrait explores introspection, fractured identity, and the longing to feel a sense of belonging, and how nostalgic objects bring these feelings to the fore.