GWEN CHAPPELL

Censored (2023)
Gwen Chappell, 16, Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School
(Digital Mixed Media)

"Censored" was inspired by Frida Khalo’s “Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird”. I was intrigued by the simplicity and meaning behind the painting. I found similarities in how she approached her work: strongly influenced by her culture and experience, I immediately saw ways to paint myself into her canvas- to rework the piece to fit what best represents my struggle. Assimilation: she wears the Qipao (a traditional Chinese garment), surrounded by bamboo, dragonflies that represent change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization, a rabbit (from the Chinese calendar) and a beaver (Canadian wildlife) face-to-face buried in the foliage. I tried to keep the simple greens and browns Frida left in her painting while adding pops of colour to stand out, using Procreate as my primary software. The main subject was created using the “Oil Brush” and blending out the various different shades of red, black and beige.