Tableaux

In an interview with the The Telegraph, Hannah Starkey talks about the use of mirrors, reflection and smoke in her work. Starkey depicts mundane everyday moments; events in contemporary women's life where the subjects are usually contemplative, absorbed and alone or isolated from a group. Starkey's work is constructed; and it is through the use of mirrors and other fluid qualities like smoke and reflections that Starkey is able to add depth and complexity to her work. Starkey says that "mirrors are a route of escape... the subconscious mind [of the viewer] travelling through the picture." It is these qualities that Starkey incorporates to enable abstraction into the picture, into the everyday, and leaves elements of her work open to interpretation.

I found myself agreeing with Starkey's comments in her interview. I've long been intrigued by mirrors and particularly windows in my own work. I feel they both hold connotations that signify escape. The use of smoke too and also reflections are more abstract depictions of the same idea. I've never thought about using them before to imply the same abstract feelings.