Layla Kearney-Saul • She/her • Creator of “Untitled”
We asked Layla Kearney-Saul a few questions about herself, her submission, and how the Issue X theme “Blood” relates to her art. Here is what she sent us:
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
My name is Layla Kearney-Saul. I’m an aspiring young artist from North Dublin. I’ve always tried to be involved in the art community, and feel that since starting college, it has opened up a lot more opportunities for myself. I think this project is a prime example of that. I’m a mixed media artist. With my work I like to repackage the familiar as something uncanny, especially drawing inspiration from nature, the human psyche and the human form.
WHY DID I SUBMIT?
The theme of blood prompted me to submit as it resonated with me. My work is quite visceral and I already had a body of illustrations I thought would fit the theme perfectly. I was also intrigued to see how other artists would interpret the theme and how these ideas would manifest. Thank you to a member of the team we met while in town who told me and my friend Francis about this amazing project!
BLOOD
Blood to me means the story of who we are. Our veins are like threads, intricately sewn into us, carrying our memories. My pieces represent how we as humans are constantly changing. We are naturally fragile, and the work shows how one experience can make us come undone, leaving a permanent scar. For example, in the image of the open chest, beneath the surface is equally as intricate as the outer layer of skin, but perhaps messier and harder to understand.
Featured in Issue X:
Untitled
As explained on Instagram, this artwork was made by projecting a Conté figure drawing onto lace and linen, draped over the model against a black background.
Interested in Layla’s work? Follow her artistic journey on Instagram @ceirdandspirals_.
