Ciara Phillips
Ciara Phillips is a Canadian-Irish artist based primarily in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Phillips was born in Ottawa, Canada. Her higher education was completed, first, at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Subsequently, she studied at the Glasgow School of Art, obtaining a Master in Fine Art. Her work exploits the traditional use of printmaking practices, taking much influence from collaboration and, more personally, the philosophies of artist and teacher . On 7 May 2014, she was nominated for the Turner Prize for her work at The Showroom in London, England.
Life and career
Phillips' practice formally categorizes as printmaking, however her use of material ranges from screenprinting to textiles equally using photography and wall painting. She often works collaboratively, re-conceptualizing the norms of gallery spaces and involving other artists, designers and local community groups in her practice. Phillips draws much of her inspiration from Corita Kent, a pioneering artist, educator and activist famous for her reinterpretations of advertising slogans and imagery relevant to 1960s consumer culture. She is the founder of the artist collective Poster Club and her ongoing project titled has been subject to various reiterations after its initial exhibit at The Showroom Gallery in London won her a nomination for the Turner Prize in 2014.Artist style
A key aspect of Ciara Phillips' art practice is the compositional techniques that are devoid of traditional representational systems. In other words, Phillips' work speaks to the idea that no one narrative can possibly account for all aspects of human experience. In a review done by the Generation Guide, Askew explains the necessity of this medium for the message Phillips attempts to discuss in her work. In a manner contingent with the experimental nature of printmaking — the time, space, and collaborative aspect which distinguish it from directly drawing onto the page — are all key aspects of Phillips' vision. Along with these aforementioned notions, comes the historical associations of printing with political and social activism. Phillips' work exploits these notions, coupled with an effort to re-appropriate the idea of art as an instrument for change.Much of these ideas stem from the educator and activist Sister Corita Kent, an American artist and teacher. At the core of Phillips' practice comes a collaborative aspect equally functioning as a teaching aspect in the same right. Begging the feminist critique; by turning women into artists; are images created by women different from those created by men?