Defense mechanisms, internalized misogyny and how those ideas are set in our memories and traditions are a reaccuring theme in my work. I seek to confront private memories and the introjected negative thought processes that are past on from generation to generation, and that affect our self confidence and the roles we play in society. My collages are created with images that I seek out as surrogates that convey gestures or physical expression that lead to those hidden feelings. The images tell a story. My use of uneven cutting techniques, ripping and childish pencil marks, are all elements that symbolise the nature of introjected thoughts and the process of socialization throughout our lives.
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My work expresses different places, languages, people and personalities, as extensions of myself. I come from a multicultural background, and have lived long-term in Canada, México and Spain. My background in anthropology, history, art therapy and community work comes through in the subjects I like to depict. Migration, memories, and the psychological fingerprint they leave are all themes I am currently working on.
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I have always been influenced by strong feminine roles and I feel my work is an extension of that. I like to explore gender roles and issues, the role that women are alotted in society and the emotional aftermath of those roles. I enjoy exploring political, social and cultural topics.
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All of my recent collages are handmade with vintage magazines, prints or photographs from the 1880s to the 1960s though I also work with acrylic paint and other media.
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I enjoy using a neutral palette as I love the texture, and hue of old papers and books.
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Tanja Ulbrich