RHYS WALLACE

Rhys Wallace SETU Art Student Exhibits at Garter Lane Gallery Waterford May 2022

Artist Statement

My ambitions within the work are to challenge the perceptions of the viewer, specifically what one would consider as “masculine” or “feminine” in the context of contemporary western society. By fusing imagery that directly contradicts preconceived notions of gender, I introduce Rhys as the subject, a non-binary individual to frame the work through a personal lens.

Drawing on inspiration from queerness within early film, the commanding and psychedelic imagery of the 60’s and 70’s, right up to the experimental digital film work of the late 1990’s and early naughties; the work intends to draw audiences in at varying levels and to raise questions of perceptions of gender, in an attempt to perplex a viewer. This is done by creating an enveloping environment with multiple layers of visual and audio experiences. This is achieved through a multitude of projections, reflections and immersive soundscape all within a contained space.

This experience is offered as a visualisation of the struggle, confusion and joy that is felt in the experience of gender within our contemporary society and the historical constructs we inherit.

Development work