MA Fine Art: Digital - Study Statement.
1. Working Title.
“Echoes in Ink: Exploring Memory, Belonging, and Isolation.”
2. Aims and Objectives.
Aim:
To investigate how narratives of belonging and isolation emerge in different environments, using ink techniques to evoke memory and collective consciousness. This study will explore themes of cianalas, place attachment theory, and collective memory to convey the emotional resonance of landscapes.
Objectives:
Develop a series of large-scale ink paintings inspired by landscapes that I have captured through my own photography, exploring the emotional resonance of these places.
Experiment with layering techniques and shadow effects to create ethereal, dreamlike qualities that suggest fragmented memories or fleeting impressions.
Explore how emotional responses to landscape can transcend barriers of language, geography, and culture, considering how different audiences may interpret the work.
Research traditional and contemporary ink painting methods, with particular attention to Traditional Chinese Brush Painting, to incorporate a timeless quality into my practice.
Use practice-based research to investigate themes of cianalas (a Scottish Gaelic word denoting nostalgia and longing), collective memory and place attachment theory.
Document my artistic and analytical reflections in my blog, “Narratives in Art,” to track my evolving process and insights.
3. Context (Historical, Contemporary, and Theoretical).
I aim to ground my work in both traditional and contemporary contexts, drawing inspiration from historical ink painting techniques and how they have evolved in contemporary practice. My research into Traditional Chinese Brush Painting will inform my exploration of composition, balance, and expressiveness in ink, while also highlighting how these techniques can be adapted in a modern fine art context.
In exploring memory and place attachment, I will draw on theories surrounding collective memory and nostalgia. Cianalas, in particular, resonates with my work, evoking a sense of longing for a place, even when physically distant from it. This theme will be explored in relation to other cultural concepts of longing and displacement, considering how different traditions frame the relationship between landscape and memory.
Contemporary artists working with landscape, and memory will inform my research, particularly those who use layering and mark-making to convey emotional and atmospheric depth. Potential points of reference include artists working in monochrome ink-based media, such as Kees Stoop. This contextual research will allow me to position my practice within broader discussions of landscape, memory, and place attachment.
4. Methodology.
My primary methods will involve ink-based techniques and experimental compositions on large and medium scales. To capture the vastness of landscapes, I will focus on layering washes and creating shadow effects that evoke a haunting quality, suggesting traces of memory or presence within the natural world.
The foundation of my compositions will be my own photography, drawing from both expansive natural landscapes and cityscapes. Additionally, I will research and engage with literature relevant to the themes I am exploring - whether focused on theoretical perspectives or the specific techniques applied in my paintings. My blog, Narratives in Art, will serve as a platform for documenting experimentation, successes, and challenges, fostering a space for reflective practice and continuous critique.
5. Outcomes.
I aim to develop a cohesive body of large and medium-scale ink paintings that capture the emotional weight of specific landscapes. The final works will:
Explore themes of memory, longing, and impermanence through layered compositions and shadow effects.
Engage with traditional techniques while adapting them to a contemporary fine art practice.
Provide a space for viewers to consider their own connections to place, memory, and displacement.
Be documented through Narratives in Art, alongside written reflections on process and research.
6. Work Plan.
This project will evolve through an ongoing process of research, experimentation, and reflection throughout my time on the MA Fine Art: Digital course. The following timeline outlines key phases of development, ensuring a balance between theoretical inquiry, practice-based research, and critical reflection.
Phase 1:
Conduct in-depth research into Traditional Chinese Brush Painting, alongside contemporary and historical ink painting methods.
Explore theoretical frameworks, including place attachment theory, collective memory, and cianalas, as a foundation for conceptual development.
Experiment with ink washes, layering techniques, and shadow effects to explore how memory can be evoked visually.
Test different paper textures and ink densities to achieve variations in ethereal or dreamlike qualities.
Document reflections and technical explorations on Narratives in Art, using the blog to develop a critical dialogue with my practice.
Phase 2:
Develop a focused series of paintings inspired by landscapes captured in my own photography, exploring their emotional resonance.
Experiment with ways to translate the emotional impact of landscapes across cultural, linguistic, and geographical barriers, considering how the viewer experiences the work.
Work on large-scale compositions, refining layering and shadow effects to enhance depth and atmosphere.
Investigate how Traditional Chinese Brush Painting techniques can be incorporated into my practice while maintaining my own visual language.
Take part in peer critique sessions, using feedback to refine both conceptual and technical aspects of the work.
Continue contextual research, visiting exhibitions and analysing how contemporary artists explore landscape, memory, and belonging.
Phase 3:
Identify key works for final presentation, refining compositions and techniques through iterative development.
Further explore how to convey emotional depth through display choices and audience engagement.
Deepen research into collective memory and environmental psychology to strengthen the conceptual grounding of the work.
Finalise a cohesive body of work that encapsulates the project’s aims.
7. Bibliography.
Literature on Ink Painting Techniques:
The Art of Chinese Brush Painting - Maggie Cross.
The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting - Mai-Mai Sze.
Kees Stoop: Leven En Werken - Koen Kleijn.
Studies on nostalgia, collective memory and place attachment theory:
Place Attachment: Advances in Theory, Methods and Applications - Lynne C. Manzo.
Resources on Cianlas, and the Language of Scottish Landscapes:
Literature of the Gaelic Landscape - John Murray.
Reading the Gaelic Landscape - John Murray.
Litrature on Memory, Belonging, and Landscapes:
Belonging - Amanda Thomson.
A Scots Dictionary of Nature - Amanda Thomson.
The Language of Landscapes - Anne Whiston Sprin.
Contextual Research:
Women in Revolt, Modern Art Gallery, Edinburgh, 2024.
Fragile Beauty, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2024.
Dürer to Van Dyck | Drawings from Chatsworth House, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, 2025.
Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection, Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, 2025.
