Artist: Sienna Browne
Exhibition: Soul Tryptic, From Left to Right: “Caitlin”, “Sienna”, and “Jasmine”
Media: Mixed media on paper, 8′ by 4′
Gallery: Black Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery
Website: http://www.siennabrowneart.com
Instagram: siennabrowneart
LBSU undergraduate Sienna Browne is working toward her BFA degree in the School of Art’s Drawing and Painting Program. She is interested in surrealism and cubism and describes her style as somewhere in between representational and abstract. Much of her work explores her life experience with an eating disorder (ED) and her recovery from it. Her upcoming show “Product of the Palette” will be a chronological journey of her college and ED experience through her art.
Soul Tryptic is a highly colorful and definitively large piece measuring 8′ by 4′. The sheer size of the piece allows the viewer to become engulfed in it. Browne also chose to use ultraviolet paint and plans to show the exhibit in its own dark area with flashlights to allow for an even more immersive experience for the audience. There are many small strokes and intricacies in the painting that encourage one to look closer at every detail, while the longer flowing lines guide your eyes on a journey through the paintings.
Browne noted that her work had centered around her experience with and recovery from ED during her high school and early college years. Once recovered in 2019 she found her focus shifting to less heavy subjects. Soul Tryptic has a whimsical quality with its many colors and detailed design that lends itself beautifully to her new, lighter perspective while still paying homage to the complicated events that allowed that transformation to happen.
When I view Soul Tryptic I get the feeling that I am underwater in a beautiful, wildly colorful coral reef. If I were to view it in the manner that Browne described (in person, in a dark room with a flashlight) I can imagine the experience being akin to a diver with headlamp looking around at the Great Barrier Reef at night. All this to say that Soul Tryptic is truly an immersive experience. The bright colors of Soul Tryptic light up its dark, mysterious background and remind me that there is light in one’s darkness. When I was going through a grim period in my life it was nearly impossible to remember that life can be lighthearted and enjoyable. Soul Tryptic says we can find whimsy and fun out of the heaviest experiences of our lives and I believe that is so important to remember.
ART 110 Blog 