University: Self-taught
A mist envelops Vanessa Onuk’s paintings, her subject matter sliding in and out of focus. Generally, the paintings provide sufficient information to register what is going on. We can gauge what is happening, at the very least, the constituent parts of the image are apparent. Whether a sprawling landscape or a figure in a bath, the general outline of the image is clear. Titles are there to aid us, alluding to what may not be immediately apparent from the image alone, words such as “twilight” or “evening”, for instance, indicate the temporal nature of the paintings. Paint, as a material, can take the recognisable, estrange, muddle and confuse it. Such is certainly true of Onuk’s paintings, works that guide the paint across the canvas surface, yet also give the paint a degree of autonomy, letting it bleed, drip and run. The result is that Onuk's paintings abstract existing knowledge, eschewing the obvious and providing new readings. As viewers, we are given hints and prompts but must spend time with the work to really unpick it, to develop meaning and understanding.
My works include abstract landscapes and figurative drawings on unprimed, organic canvas made of cotton or linen, which I source independently and are therefore very flexible with the formats. By applying the colors in layers, unique effects are created, which are enhanced by different degrees of pre-watering of the canvas and paint. In this way I achieve contrasting effects such as strong bleeding, random color gradients and flowing color transitions. At the same time, in the final layers I create contrast through sharp lines with varying degrees of transparency. With this technique and the unique surface structure, images are created with the color sinking and merging deep into the wall, creating a beautiful vintage effect.