Blog Post: Antonia Showering

The days leading up to the key collection at the SPACE headquarters I had several dreams about my forthcoming studio. With no idea what to expect in terms of the room’s light, temperature or dimensions my imagination was projecting all sorts of possibilities whilst my head was on the pillow. Finally the moment arrives when I insert the key into my new studio door and all the worries leading up to this instance evaporate.

On stepping inside, you are immediately transported out of bustling Hackney and into a peaceful, silent sanctum. My new space is much larger than anticipated. Light cascades down the skylight, leaving a square pool of sunshine on the floor that creeps around, illuminating different areas of a studio I know I will look back on fondly.

It seems silly to mourn something when it has only just begun, but I guess this ties in with my practice. I make works that try and capture the ephemeral nature of memory, solidifying moments before they slip away into forgetfulness. Using oil paint, I layer various recollections on top of one another until the emotion I am trying to convey is made tangible. I leave remnants of previous decisions visible, so the viewer can see the different histories and experiences the canvas has undergone. It’s similar to when you meet a person for the first time. You see them on an immediate surface level, but the longer you spend with them the more of their past is revealed. I keep thinking about the imprint left from the various other New Contemporaries artists who have each spent a year of their life creating in this same studio.

After graduating from my masters at The Slade I have exhibited frequently, my most recent show was at Stephen Friedman Gallery. I have given myself a few months until my next exhibition to focus on my new body of work. This precious time, not needing to financially worry about paying for a studio is sacred and I am enjoying experimenting. I look forward to seeing what I will make in the next year.

Antonina Showering: Artist Page