Pagan McKenzie

 I feel particularly connected to the mediums of metalwork and film in my installations and these two mediums are vital to my practice. Creating original footage and cutting, manipulating and welding metal. Also important to my practice and utilised, are the medias of discarded/found objects. This year, I have been particularly interested in surrealism and abstraction and have made many works with these concepts in mind. Recently, I have been immensely interested in the environments of dreams/nightmares and the concept of liminal spaces which the subconscious mind creates. The physical forms which I have created have been a physical response to the subconscious minds creation of these environments in our heads. My work at the moment has focused on the creation of an immersive, surreal environment with an unsettling ambiance, implying liminal abstract space. The viewer becomes a part of the installation by walking around/viewing the bizarre structures. I feel that the colour blue is very powerful and the use of this colour has been a very important component driving my practice this year. I am intrigued by the inclusion of the colour blue in surrealist artwork and the prominent inclusions of water and the sea, in them. It has passionately inspired me to utilise the medium of water and the colour blue in order to mirror this idea, of the bizarre stream of consciousness of the subconscious mind. Reflecting on my artistic career so far, my art has always had a focus on the idea of making abstract concepts, a physical reality. My installations have often been a subconscious reflection of my interests and the events I have been trying to deal with in my life. The creation of my art helps my soul greatly and I hope it does similarly for the viewer.