Giovanna Acosta

Rostro

The purpose of this piece was to evoke an atmosphere of both destitution and resilience using a small and isolated source of warmth, in the form of a candle, engulfed within a cold surrounding. The figure in the piece resides in the dark and frigid environment, finding fleeting solace in the glowing light of the melting candle. There is a bleakness in the imagery but also, hopefully, a flicker of hope. When creating the painting, I was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s story, The Little Match Girl, as well as the Calgary winters and the thought of those who have to endure such freezing conditions alone.

In this piece, I explore the destruction and distortion of the figure. The painting depicts a woman in the process of ripping off her face in a stylized and exaggerated manner to effectively showcase the violent imagery of self-mutilation. The imagery aims to delve into the psychological turmoil that can lead to the destruction of the self, as well as the complexities of human identity. I chose an achromatic colour palette reminiscent of old Hollywood horror movies, such as Night of the Living Dead.

 Artist statement

Art enriches the human experience by allowing us to develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and the surrounding world. Each individual artist offers a beautifully varied reflection of our shared humanity, deepened by the diversity of interpretation offered by the viewer. All I hope to do is make my contribution to the rich mosaic of human expression. To intellectually and emotionally engage in the discipline and present new imagery with the brushstrokes of my unique inner world. My goal is to evoke distinct emotions through visual representations of my surroundings, through its beauty or distortion.

artist biography

I am originally from Ecuador, but grew up in Canada. Art has always been very important to me, and both its consumption and creation have offered me solace from both my environment and from myself. My experience is mostly with pencil drawing, but I love to challenge myself with painting whenever I can. Despite ultimately pursuing the sciences, my goal is to continue interlacing the arts into whatever life path I may find myself in.