Trauma in the Landscape

September 22nd, 2009

Trauma = unresolved experience.

Heidi’s trauma = landscape (1800′s) paintings. A literal depiction of landscape while exploring the psychological effects of this landscape on Heidi in the contemporary setting.

To solve this issue is to place herself in the landscape.
Creating a narrative by using the stories of slaves and superimposing herself as the subject while using the James River as her setting. As a method to take back power by re-enacting and super herself.

Critique
Lizzy Brooks: In order to create a better nattative where the subject (Heidi) is farther into the background. The vinetting is an issue either it is vouyeristic or the tribute.

John McNeil: Push the trauma even further and have the actuality of the events. A dead body possibly in the background.

• Adding more people in the paintings/into real life as a re-enactment.
• Thinking of that there is a second story within the beautiful image. That every image is based on an anticipated high, thought of beauty, but have an underlying issue of a negativity.

Recommendations
Heidi Cox: Artist that inserts herself into portraits that then becomes re-enactments.