Artist Statement

Rebecca F. Hardy – Artist Statement

The contemplation of the human mind, the conduct of human nature, its behaviour to perform consciously and subconsciously and the complexity of these emotions upon the individual and within society. This is Rebecca’s visual exploration and journey into understanding the dense sociology, psychology and biology of this process.

She works in a range of materials and projects, from mixed media, collage, sculpture, installations and photography.

Her sculptures/installations are from the series Tuccia are loosely based on the renaissance painting ‘The Vestal Virgin Tuccia’ by Giovanni Battista Moroni around 1560. Inspired by the tale of Tuccia an ancient Roman Vestal Virgin whose chastity was questioned by a spurious accusation and how she proved her innocence by carrying a sieve full of water from the Tiber to the Temple of Vesta. The sieves in Rebecca’s artwork act as vessels and metaphors of the mind and these metal objects co-exist with the repetitive motion of winding and stringing the chosen coloured thread. The work touches on feminism and mental health issues.

Her photography from the series Bodlondeb plays on the subconscious of grief and is mixed with the conscious of intentionally appreciating the importance of a memory, object, smell, or photograph. Her artwork encompasses these ideals through using personal autobiographical images in which she explores their representation with other surfaces and narrative objects. It is the passing of time and Rebecca’s own acceptance of her own grief; it is her contentment with this acceptance.

Her assemblages, collages are expressive, obscure and surreal and the contribution of text in the work, written in English and Welsh adds both conflict and augmentation. This method and style has been present in her work since her university years at Howard Gardens, Cardiff but has evolved and expanded through subtext and medium. Rebecca states “like many of my pieces it looks aesthetically pleasing could almost say pretty but then there are undertones of quite dark and unearthed themes”.