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Judy Watson Flame Tree Pods Analysis

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Judy Watson’s “Memory scar, cotton tree leaf, grass, brachychiton illawarra flame tree pods” consists of acrylic, graphite, pigment, and acrylic binder medium on a canvas. It was made in 2020 and is an abstract piece sized at 180 x 148.5 cm. Judy Watson studied “all visual art subjects and histories” being especially drawn to printmaking and its processes. This artistic process gave her a sense of direction in comparison to other techniques, constraining her into the use of several processes, involving the use of compositions and layering.

Watson is an Australian based Indigenous contemporary artist, her artworks heavily motivated by her personal experiences, culture, and the natural environment around her. She has created a large scale of …show more content…

This proposes that Watson is bestowing the audience with an exploration of the world she personally connects with. Whereas, with the usage of natural materials and the positioning of them this also creates a representation of fragility and temporariness, once again suggesting that what is depicted is fugitive, reminding all of us about the beauty and delicacy of the environment.

Something that stands out about this piece is the cotton tree leaves that have been used, they have been marked with intricate patterns consisting of both lines and dots. The markings symbolise traditional ceremonies held by Indigenous Australians who make scars on their skin, demonstrating that Watson has used the cotton tree leaves metaphorically to represent the scarring Indigenous Australians have faced from …show more content…

Most notably how her artwork reflects her personal experiences through her symbolism of the marked cotton tree leaves. The leaves were used in traditional ceremonies held by the Indigenous people, which allowed them to make markings on the skin of those who participated. This is widely known as scarification which is used to mark very important events that occur in a person's life. Watson is exemplifying this cultural tradition and bringing awareness to the importance of Indigenous culture and

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