ib visual arts

karla dielmann

Ein Tag auf See

The Sun is out, time to go to the beach and enjoy the beautiful sunshine. The ocean is a place of reflection and wonder. In awe of nature’s beauty and its ability to move in such specific ways and patterns the human wonders. There is this constant reminder of how the motion of the sea is crafted in such an unpredictable but also reliable way. Being in defeat of the elements and admiring the beauty of fluidity just as much as the constant motion of the waves, the onlooker is mesmerized.

Upon arrival you observe the ‘Sprudel’, the white foam on the crowns of the waves, crashing onto shore and returning to the distinct mass of the sea. You notice the beautiful colours of the surface of the sea, how diverse, unique and ‘Verschwommen’ it shimmers in the light.  You want to go ‘Schwimmen’ its cold refreshing nature, sculpting itself against your body. You start ‘Planschen’ splashing around the water and enjoying this life-giving liquid with all its diversity. ‘Nass’ and happy you swim to shore; you’re dripping coming out of the water but you’re also content and peaceful, filled with joy of power and exercise. You sit at the beach for a little while watching the waves constantly moving in and out. The never-ending ‘Aneinanderfügung’ of the waves is a constant cycle of moving in and out, in and out, in and out. The tide pulls the water both ways, endlessly and powerful. The ‘Uhrwerk’ of the sea fascinates you, the primeval composition so simple, yet so complex. It draws you back in, you yearn to go back into the refreshing cold, nothing can stop you.

You can feel how the waves are ‘Umklammern’ you and engulfing your every atom.  Scared and helpless you may be, surprised by a sudden pull - the waves are taking control of your body. Pulling and pushing you around in complete exposure. The wave is pushing you down, tumbling you around. You have the feeling you’re going to ‘Ertrinken’. You are being washed onto the shore gasping for air and stumbling onto the hot sand. You made it out, you can breathe. You sit on the beach, breathing, your heart beating fast. Slowly the sky turns red and pink. While distressed by the earlier events you feel a sense of positivity. The Sea is ‘Verlässlich’, unswerving and everchanging. You reflect upon the beautiful, unpredictable nature of the ocean. You’ve gained an understanding for the amount of respect one has to have for the powerful sea. Ever moving, ever changing. 

This exhibition follows the journey of observation and opportunity that the ocean and therefore the process of walking through my exhibition can have. While wild and unpredictable at times the ocean is an element of sheer beauty. Throughout the creation of the works I found inspiration in idea of fluidity, the way liquids interact, the way the sea moves and the unpredictable nature of fluids. This directed me to take a more abstract approach to the artworks in this exhibition and during my art-making process. Inspired by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Calumn Schaub and Bridget Riley my artworks are of stylistic variety.

While all abstracted, I struggled to find a point of connection. Upon further investigation of the theme fluidity and reflection upon my own experiences with the elements I narrowed my focus to a day at the beach. Experiencing the joy of swimming in the ocean but also being traumatised by the feeling of almost drowning gave me the perspective to find elements of these events throughout my works.
Having moved to Australia from Germany, a place where you don’t visit the ocean often, I found appreciation for the sea and beaches swiftly. I wanted to cooperate elements of my German heritage in the titles of my works. The German language allowed me to play around with Word-painting as the phonetics or sounds of German words suggest the sounds of the ocean and offer different perspectives of the works.

This exhibition is meant will take you on a journey through the highs and lows of being bare to nature in such a raw and beautiful environment.