‘Mid-Air & Middle Ground’

Mid-air: a place of movement, release and expansion; a place of weight and weightlessness; a place without connection and boundary; a place of joy and fear, chaos and focus; a place of possibility.

Middle ground: a place of vulnerability and bravery; a place of reconciliation; a place of resolution; a place of compromise and acceptance; a place from where we may find a way forward; a place of potential.

Emma Stroude’s figurative works explore themes of performance, embodiment and our ability to embrace uncertainty.  They invite the viewer to consider the experience of inhabiting their own bodies not just in a physical way but also in an emotional and cerebral way.

Her compositions are carefully selected moments of performance chosen for their connection to her own personal experiences and feelings of empathy towards the roles played by the figures. The investigative process of rendering them in paint imbues each piece with the artist’s own story but in extension to this, these works reach towards the viewer and seek empathy for a shared human experience.

Stroude is interested in our ability to cope with adverse situations and find the inner strength to continue despite discomfort, fear or threat. The figures that inhabit her works find themselves caught in positions that are difficult to maintain, learning to cope and find a way to endure or even find comfort in their discomfort.

The element of performance is important here. We may experience degrees of a wide range of emotions through art while safely remaining the viewer.  These emotional experiences link with empathy and may lead us to consider our own stories and reflect on our capacity for resilience.

With thanks to The Arts Council, Dr. Tamsin Cavaliero, David Smith and  performers Angelique Ross, Michelle Thoburn and Emmen Jude Donnelly who all played key roles in the development of this body of works.