borderlands _ Mandy Conidaris _ Exhibition Catalogue

Borderlands an exhibition catalogue of artworks by Mandy Conidaris

Our hunger to belong is the longing to bridge the gulf that exists between isolation and intimacy.

John O’Donohue

Artist’s statement The most basic principle of medical Doppler – the imaging of blood vessels - involves viewing the resistance and flow of blood. Sound waves are transmitted through the skin via an ultrasound (sonar) probe, and echoes of different strengths bounce back to the probe to be translated into a graph for diagnostic interpretation. The underlying concept of this print installation is that the flat-line and peak of the Doppler graph suggest two opposite poles of human experience longing and belonging.

I used two printmaking techniques in combination – watercolour monotype and screenprint. This decision was made to both reflect us as individuals with each unique watercolour wash and represent the inflexibility of the biological state necessary for our existence with the repetitive, identical screenprinted images.

Firstly, I created borderlands - the middle frieze of the print installation - to explore this idea. For each red watercolour monotype – representing blood - pigment was painted into a water wash on the matrix and allowed to settle by chance. Then I overprinted each image with a standard screenprinted diagram of a Doppler graph. The black graph shows a ‘normal’ pattern of the resistance and flow of blood. The underlying red graph line was replaced by a screenprinted line of text reading ‘longing’ under the flatline and ‘belonging’ under the peak, intending to evoke the tempo of our shifting insecurities and security.

The upper and lower friezes were also created by overprinting unique watercolour monotypes with ‘fixed’ screenprinted diagrams of bones sourced from medical anatomy books.

The brown monotypes of the lower frieze - humus - refers to stains and soil; and the screenprinted diagrams of bones - our physical body’s underpinning - to the way our experiences impact on and influence our actions. Here, the term ‘humus’ suggests subconscious memories which may either nourish us or deplete us.

The serendipitous blue watercolour washes of the top frieze - transmission - imply fluctuating states of contemplation associated with our mind and spirit. The screenprinted floating structures are diagrams of the sphenoid bone in the skull. This is one of the most complex bones in the body, allowing the passage of critical nerves and blood vessels. But visually, the image may be associated with a butterfly, a symbol for the soul in some Ancient cultures.

The friezes relate to three significant aspects of our existence: the brown bones of our physical instincts against which we are helpless; the power of our blood flow and heartbeat along with our painful attempts to deal with phases of longing and belonging; and the freedom of our imaginings.

Each frieze contains 60 prints. The three-levelled frieze is intended to be installed in a way that borderlands would be hung at the level of the viewer’s heart, humus at their lower limbs, and transmission at the level of the head. Ideally it would run uninterrupted around a small room.

May the frames of your belonging be generous enough for your dreams.

John O’Donohue.

Humus I

Humus II

Humus III

2007

2007

2007

Watercolour monotype

Watercolour monotype

Watercolour monotype

and screenprint

and screenprint

and screenprint

Edition of 20 monoprints

Edition of 20 monoprints

Edition of 20 monoprints

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Borderlands

Borderlands

Borderlands

2007

2007

2007

Watercolour monotype

Watercolour monotype

Watercolour monotype

and screenprint

and screenprint

and screenprint

Edition of 60 monoprints

Edition of 60 monoprints

Edition of 60 monoprints

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Transmission I

Transmission II

Transmission III

2007

2007

2007

Watercolour monotype

Watercolour monotype

Watercolour monotype

and screenprint

and screenprint

and screenprint

Edition of 20 monoprints

Edition of 20 monoprints

Edition of 20 monoprints

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Image size 30 x 30 cm

Image size 30 x 30 cm

A corner view of the installation.

Borderlines was my contribution to the duo exhibition Liminal States with artist Sheila Flynn Exhibited at Gordart Gallery, Johannesburg, 2007 Catalogue & copywriting by Mandy Conidaris

Acknowledgements The following sources were used to research and inspire my theme: O’Donohue, J. 1998. Eternal Echoes: exploring our hunger to belong. Bantam Press: London Sanders, R.C. 1998. Clinical Sonography. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia.