Mixed Media
Deborah Ivy-Aitken
MIXED MEDIA
Deborah makes art that challenges and questions political and socio-economic issues. She is concerned about the imbalance of wealth and the rise of nationalism and far-right politics. Deborah communicates her concerns through printmaking, textiles and mix media works. She likes to use humour in her work, not to soften the message but to ridicule the issues she is bringing to attention.
Humour and colour are tools she uses when she texts over familiar and overlooked road signs. She appropriates political jargon to criticise and invalidate its meaning. The aggressive tone of statements become innocuous when printed in pink lettering. Deborah finds that changing the context of road signs is perfect for ridiculing the outrageous comments and behaviours of some politicians.
The hijacking of the British flag by nationalist and far-right politicians has fuelled my suspicions about the rhetoric used by Brexiteers. Deborah embroiders across the Union Jack the jingoistic language found in newspapers to expose an unpleasant and worrying reality about Britain today. Blue on blue, red on red makes the embroidery is difficult to read so the viewer is lured in to read statements such as - Our Time Has Come, Now The Opportunities Are Endless, Take Back Control. She wants viewers to note the beauty of the embroidery in contrast to the language of contentious nationalism.
