Alice Barker

Degree: BA (Hons) Painting
University: The University of Edinburgh
Graduation Year: 2021

New Blood Art Commentary

See Investable Artists 2023

Alice Barker is an artist whose work delves into the intricate terrain of memory and nostalgia. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a BA (Hons) in Painting in 2021, Barker's practice is deeply personal, serving as a tool for the recollection of her own past. Her paintings evoke a powerful sense of nostalgia and yearning, inspired by the ephemeral nature of memories that often blur the lines between reality and dreams.

Barker's artistic approach is characterised by the use of collage and thin washes of oil paint and turpentine, creating layered, collage-like compositions that embody both calmness and a sense of disorientation. Her work often features a flattened perspective, with figures superimposed on expansive landscapes, creating a connection and disconnection that mirrors the nature of memory itself.

In her exploration of memory, Barker describes the process as wandering through a maze, encountering vistas and dead ends. This is reflected in the transparency of her colours, which emerge and fade away, capturing the fleeting nature of recollection. Her paintings often evoke a sense of vastness and intimacy, an uncanny duality that infuses her work with emotional depth.

Barker's participation in the RSA New Contemporaries 2023 exhibition highlights her as one of the promising talents in Scotland. This exhibition, which showcases the best emerging talent from Scottish art and architecture graduates, provides a platform for Barker's evocative exploration of memory and nostalgia.

Through her work, Barker invites viewers to engage with the duality of dreamlike disorientation and comforting nostalgia, creating a powerful and resonant artistic experience. Her paintings serve as a testament to the complexity of memory, capturing moments that are both vividly present and on the cusp of dissolving.

Artist Statement

Born and based in London, I am a queer non-binary artist whose practice navigates the realms of memory and imagination. Utilising family photographs, video footage, and personal recollections, I weave compositions that blur reality and fantasy, infusing them with a nostalgic warmth and an otherworldly aura.

In recent explorations, I've delved into the nightmarish qualities of memory, portraying characters and scenes diverging from vivid childhood imagery. Clown-like demons and surreal figures emerge, tapping into the whimsy and fear of childhood imagination. My process is spontaneous and intuitive, letting paint guide me as marks evolve into recollected narratives.

Each brushstroke bears the essence of personal history and inner worlds, inviting viewers to decipher their own meanings within layers of emotion. Through my work, I aim to provoke wonder and introspection, inviting viewers on journeys of reminiscence and imagination. It serves as a mirror reflecting human complexities, fostering contemplation and connection.

In essence, my practice celebrates the multifaceted nature of identity and memory, transcending boundaries to evoke emotions and ignite imaginations. Each piece captures my inner world while inviting exploration of others' inner landscapes.