Lydia Blakeley saturates snapshots of hyper-reality into paintings that reflect the present, and utilizes the medium as a response to popular culture. Born in Berkshire, UK and currently based in North Yorkshire, UK, the artist attempts to introduce new layers of meaning through the painting process, and to reinforce the permanence of the image within an increasingly dematerialized world. She received her MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London, and has presented solo exhibitions at Blank_ Gallery, Steve Turner Gallery and Niru Ratnam Gallery.
Reflections 3 (Chonky) is inspired by an image that Blakeley sourced on social media, where there was a recent, pandemic-era trend of memes depicting cats staring into mirrors. The artist found the subject to be endearing, especially as a response to the domestic isolation and reflective contemplation that lockdowns brought forth over the past two years. These images of animals provided a sense of escapism from the otherwise bleak posts that conveyed the state of the disheveled world at large, in turn projecting a dichotomy between the simultaneous streams of innocent content and sociopolitical information.
Lydia Blakeley
Reflections 3 (Chonky), 2022
24 x 20.5 inches
Archival pigment print
Limited Edition of 25 with 5AP + 1PP
Hand-embellished, signed, and numbered by the artist
Each work is unique and will appear different than shown
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