EMMA COPLEY (b.1979 Dublin)
I was born in Ireland, grew up in the United States, and live and work in the UK. My paintings – on wood panels, perspex, and paper – explore personal experiences of isolation, love, and connection. The bodies that I paint and draw relate closely to my own experience of being a woman. They are caught in motion; making recognisable gestures, dancing, swimming, moving together. I collect pictures of these moments and of domestic spaces, and fold the photographs. Using the manipulated photo as a starting point, I create the composition and eliminate areas from the image in order to intensify the emotion.
Pale pink synchronized swimmers on top of long legs; two figures intimately connected over window fragments. I paint in layers with thick oils on wood and smooth, flat gouache on paper. When using oils, I paint quickly with brushes and a palette knife – spreading globs of paint on a smooth hard surface, wet into wet, carving out forms and building up texture. The recognisable parts of the image and the texture of the thick paint draws you in, while unfinished areas allow your eye to complete the image and the smell of oil holds your attention.
My paintings begin with muted tones, mixing greys tinted with primary colour, ending with an infusion of bright colour that relates closely to these. I spend a lot of time looking at my palette and mixing groups of colour. Brushstrokes vary between smooth, slow, thoughtful marks and fast, thick layers of paint. I tear up paintings and rearrange them to create new compositions – this has become an important part of my process.
My largest works are 14 metres long and the smallest are 15 x 22 centimetres. The accordion book format, heavy wood panel surface, and recurring window motifs are devices that reinforce personal histories and offer the freedom to explore my own experience as a gendered body in this world.
24 Portraits, University of Cambridge, permanent collection, 2020
All artwork and images are copyright © Emma Copley.