Emma Currie
Artist Emma Currie’s works are warm and earthy figurative representations of the female body and standards of beauty and femininity.
Words: Holly Terry I Photography: Nicholas Bebbington
Emma Currie in her Melbourne studio. Photo: Nicholas Bebbington
‘I feel quite conflicted by how much I draw from these artistic traditions, as they are so rooted in the patriarchal subject/ object dichotomy. Part of me wants to adhere to those conventions and make aesthetically pleasing, classical compositions but another part of me wants to deconstruct those conventions all together,’ says Emma Currie. Photo: Nicholas Bebbington
‘Art making can be a very solitary endeavour so there’s been a lot to muddle through and figure out without much guidance. I’ve learnt to be resourceful and build new skills in order to figure out the business side of things which is something I’m proud of,’ says Emma Currie. Photo: Nicholas Bebbington
A long time creative, Emma Currie’s artistic side was nurtured from a young age, and is now rooted within her identity. ‘I’m very lucky that I get to do this for a living because I generally feel pretty miserable if I’m not creating in some way,’ she shares.
Emma once thought she wouldn’t paint in a professional capacity but has since firmly rooted herself amongst the Australian art scene. Nowadays, the artist draws the attention of many, including She Curates and The Design Files who hosted two successful solo exhibitions in 2020 and 2021.
Inspired by female nudes from the Renaissance through to the romantic period, it is the visual language and code of aesthetics that was established during this time that Emma is most drawn to.
‘These paintings have created not only a set of standards for the representation of the female body in art, but also a defacto standard of beauty and femininity,’ she says.
‘For inspiration I look to artists like Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, and Milton Avery. Several famous nudes have been very influential throughout my practice as well. Particularly those by Titian, Velázquez, Goya and Manet.’
For Emma, her interest in these artistic traditions which she believes are rooted in patriarchal subject/object dichotomy acts as a point of conflict.
‘Part of me wants to adhere to those conventions and make aesthetically pleasing, classical compositions but another part of me wants to deconstruct those conventions all together.’
Though, it’s a continuous process of letting go of her attachment to this visual language and consolidating it outside of the traditionally objectifying attitude, which make Emma’s work so relatable to the modern-day woman.
‘For me, that conflict is a big part of what intrigues me about exploring this subject matter, as I find it so indicative of my experience of womanhood.’
“I’m interested in the visual language and code of aesthetics that was established over that period and how these paintings have created not only a set of standards for the representation of the female body in art, but also a defacto standard of beauty and femininity.”
‘These paintings have created not only a set of standards for the representation of the female body in art, but also a defacto standard of beauty and femininity,’ says Emma Currie. Photo: Nicholas Bebbington
‘I’m very lucky that I get to do this for a living because I generally feel pretty miserable if I’m not creating in some way,’ says Emma Currie. Photo: Nicholas Bebbington
Emma Currie’s work embodies a soft, tonal palette. Photo: Nicholas Bebbington
Although her works embody an undeniably contemporary aesthetic, Emma’s process is somewhat traditional. Beginning by building the figure in the form of shapes, Currie will then employ her iPad to simplify it to an outline.
Using references from life drawing or her knowledge of her own body, Emma’s shapes are simplistic and abstracted, ‘The shapes are simple and slightly abstracted, so it doesn’t matter if they’re not perfectly representational. If I get stuck, I’ll reference what I know of my own body. I’ve also always done life drawing as a part of my practice, so I have lots of sketches to use as a base.’
Met with a soft, tonal palette, Emma has the ability to emanate tranquillity through her works. Creating a sense of visual cohesion and asymmetrical balance, she is drawn to earthy, complimentary tones, such as blue, orange, green and reds, as classic pairings. ‘I’m drawn to earthy tones to ground the figures and give the whole piece an overall warmth.’
Having spent the last few years building an impressive CV with reputable galleries and exhibitions, Currie will be participating in a couple of exciting group shows over the next few months. Watch this space!
