The Dance Macabre

Artist Statement

Snakes, stars, and sad rabbits litter Lauren’s work as she creates imagined scenarios inspired by folklore and mythology, and fuelled by her everyday life and experiences. Playful creatures, swirling botanicals and familiar motifs veil a rigid turmoil which, along with her choice of rich contrasting colours, allows Lauren to portray a familiar sense of uncertainty. Often the symbols she chooses to work with and their context within her work can be associated with unlucky, dark, or mournful feelings or situations. An example of these elements can be seen in her grids of forget-me-nots, acting as metaphors for distressing intrusive or repetitive thoughts. Or, too, in her Hydra that cuts its own head off, referring to times where you are the cause of your own woes through words or actions. Lauren often assigns personal meanings to each detail while she paints, which can shift, change, be forgotten or revisited and looked at differently. By using widely recognisable symbols, she allows the audience to step into her stories and do the same.