'Girls Like Us'
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The artist Annetha
Fernando Graham_Gallery |
A thought provoking series of paintings, captivatingly titled 'Girls
Like Us', by London-based artist Annette Fernando (1991) will go on
display at the Rv8y Stvdio Gvll3ry, Colombo from the August 14 to 29
2015.
In a visual style is rooted in the realm of comic books, romantic
pulp novels and film noire, Annette's work contains copious amounts of
cinematic references, with a particular focus on the British and French
New Wave movements. Much of her references for the 'Girls Like Us'
exhibition contain scenes from Ingmar Bergman, Roman Polanski, Joseph
Losey, Francois Truffaut, Gerry O'Hara and Jean-Luc Godard's cinematic
oeuvre.
The exhibited images discuss the representation of people in everyday
situations and the impact of film on identity: This ranges from
voyeuristic perspectives to the simplicity of observation - including
the representation of women and sensuality in cinema across the last
century.
Tension, passion and angst are held in suspension as she explores the
relationship between man and woman from the perspective of a gothic
visionary. These discussions encompass the passage of dreamscapes to
darker, more psychological areas of cultural conditioning.
By recreating resonant, biographical scenes from selected works of
cinema, Annette opens up such mediated, archival images to a more
introspective platform.

It’s changed from something comfortable, to something else
instead |
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Wallflower |
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Scale example |
The reflections of television screens serve as a reassurance with the
creation of artificial comforts. Both artist and audience are provided
with the opportunity to acknowledge an embedded repression and the
denial of true experience. These instances are able to unfold into
something more fulfilling and tangible due to Annette's questioning.
Born and raised in London, UK, Annette's father is Sri Lankan and her
mother half Italian, half French. Having initially completed a
foundation diploma in Art & Design at the Camberwell College of Art &
Design, Annette moved onto the BA Fine Art course at the Central Saint
Martins' College of Art & Design.
Annette has exhibited her work across the United Kingdom, France and
Spain and in 2014 won the Student Award for the prestigious Jerwood
Drawing Prize - one of the biggest draughtsmanship exhibitions in the
UK.
Annette is the granddaughter of Panthiyage Henry Quintus Fernando,
one of the members of Sri Lanka's legendary 43 Group. She is currently
visiting Sri Lanka, as she travels across Asia to get in touch with her
roots.
Rv8y Stvdio Gvll3ry is located at 61/5, Ward Place, Colombo 07 |