The Body is a Landscape- Final Blog by erin alaka

The Body is a Landscape

erinalaka1 — 2024-12-17 10:12:34 UTC

Introduction
For my FDA Fine Art assignment, I approached the brief “The
Body is a Landscape” with a focus on understanding the body as an
interconnected system of external and internal landscapes. My work
investigates the boundaries between the physical form, the soul, and
the unseen electromagnetic fields that influence and interconnect all
living beings.

Through multi-disciplinary experimentation, I explored
the physical body—skin, skeletal systems, nervous systems, and more
ethereal, spiritual energies. Artists such as Alex Grey, Gavin Tu,
Raija Jokinen, and Cesar Biojo informed and inspired my response,
providing a conceptual and visual foundation for this investigation.

Drawing the Body: Life Drawing and Abstract Concepts

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Life Drawing Workshops

I began my exploration with traditional lifedrawing workshops, where I created detailed line drawings of human
forms. These sessions allowed me to analyze proportions and contours,
building a foundation for abstraction.

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Drawing the Body: Life Drawing and Abstract Concepts

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Geometric Abstractions

Expanding from life drawing, I explored sacred geometric shapes such as torus spirals and spheres to symbolise the
body's electromagnetic fields. These abstract shapes visually
represent the energy flow surrounding and within the body, tying the
physical form to invisible landscapes. This series culminated in
sketches of figures enclosed within spheres, creating a sense of
harmony between the human body and its external energy field. I
particularly liked how these shapes added a metaphysical layer to my
work, blurring the boundaries between physical and spiritual
portrayals of the figure.

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I enjoyed capturing the rawness and organic flow of the human form,
which acted as a foundation for later explorations. These simple,
fluid sketches helped me understand proportion, structure, and the
beauty of minimalism.

3D Interpretations: Wire as a Medium

erinalaka1 — 2024-12-17 10:52:40 UTC

I explored wire as a medium to create 3D portrayals of the body. I
started with smaller experiments such as distorted wire hands and
self-portraits, focusing on the breakdown of the human
form.

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My wire portrait became a turning point—it inspired me to
distort the human form further, reflecting themes of dissection

Wire Self-Portrait: This piece inspired me to distort human features
intentionally, representing the physical body's impermanence and its
transformation into energy.

I found the wire medium both expressive and symbolic: its flexibility
allowed for physical manipulation.

Oil Paintings: Inspired by Alex Grey and Cesar Biojo

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Alex Grey's exploration of interconnected energy systems profoundly
shaped my approach to portraiture. I painted two oil portraits:

‘One Taste’ by Alex Grey -Inspired Portrait:

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I edited a traditional oil portrait to
incorporate Alex Grey’s iconic spiral shapes, imitating the
out-of-body energy flow seen in “One Taste”. This painting depicted
the body as a vessel for spiritual energy, transcending its physical
limitations.This process taught me the importance of layering and
precision in oil painting.

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I loved how the spirals created a sense of motion and depth, leading
me to explore dissection further. Influenced by Cesar Biojo’s “Estuche
5”, I began breaking down portraits into fragments.

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Distorted Self-Portrait: Inspired by Cesar Biojo’s “Estuche 5”

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I distorted the features of a self-portrait to explore disintegration.
By deconstructing the human form, I symbolized the fragility of the
physical body and its connection to more expansive landscapes, moving
between form and energy, reality and abstraction.

Glass, Ink, and Transparency

erinalaka1 — 2024-12-17 11:09:19 UTC

To explore the internal systems of the body, I worked with glass panels—a medium that allowed me to play with light,
layering, and shadows.

I created an anatomical heart using ink, and I was particularly drawn to how the fluidity of Indian ink mimicked the
texture and flow of blood. The transparency of the glass added another
dimension, embodying the duality of visibility and invisibility in our
internal systems.

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Cyanotype Printing

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Using acetate prints of my geometric line drawings and Alex Grey’s
works, I created a series of cyanotype prints. The cyanotype process
created a ethereal blue tones which evoked a spiritual quality,
highlighting the connection between body, energy, and soul. I was
especially pleased with how cyanotype printing created a almost cosmic
representation of the internal landscape.

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When creating the cyanotopes it was interesting to see the different effects produced based on the material used. For example, my best cyanotope prints were created on thin, old paper compared to thicker paper/materials that allowed less light through resulting in a not so successful print

Acetate Prints - Revisiting Alex Grey’s “Kissing” piece

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I explored breaking down the image into positive and negative prints. By

manipulating scale and color, I examined the emotional and energetic

connection between two bodies.

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Wool and Textiles: Nervous System Exploration

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Taking inspiration from Raija Jokinen’s “Organizer (2019), I experimented with flesh-colored wool to imitate veins and the nervous system.

Wool Portrait of a Hand

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By layering wool over a portrait of a hand, I revealed the hidden vascular structures beneath the skin.

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Experimenting with wool and acetate prints I made on photoshop

Skeletal Torso

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I covered a skeletal torso drawing with wool, creating delicate, intricate networks within the body and representing the
nervous system. I loved how soothing and organic this process felt; tracing the whole image with pva glue and wool and distressing the wool even further, it
reinforced my concept of interconnection between external and internal
systems.

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To enhance the work, I applied hot glue over the wool torso, creating
a textured 3D surface.

Developments

erinalaka1 — 2024-12-17 11:31:27 UTC

Placing my glass anatomical heart over this piece added layers of meaning combining transparency and texture —I
was particularly intrigued by the interplay of light and shadow across
both materials, which symbolized the fragility and complexity of the
human body.

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Sculptural Development: Mod Rock and Chicken Wire

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I wanted to start making my work more 3d. So in the 3d Workshops, I created mod rock casts of my body, focusing on the torso and breast area. The detailed texture captured by mod rock highlighted the physical body's intricacies. I loved the detail captured by the mod rock cast, which grounded the
piece in physical realism.

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Chicken Wire Sculptures

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Inspired by Gavin Tu’s wire mesh sculpture “August”(2015) i returned
to my experimentations using wire, I further developed these concepts
with larger wire sculptures.

By transitioning to wire, I moved into abstraction—using the wire created distortion and transparency from the chicken material. I wanted to use this to represent electromagnetic fields and the unseen energies that flow
through us.

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Using mod rock casts of my body as molds, I constructed wire torsos
and lower body sculptures. These pieces conveyed a transparent,
ethereal quality—portraying the human form not as a rigid structure,
but as a flowing energy field. Gavin Tu’s simplicity helped me strip
away unnecessary detail and emphasize the universal nature of the
human form.

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I repurposed my mod rock casts as molds to develop a series of chicken wire sculptures.

The transparency of the wire
visually communicated the body as an energy-based, interconnected
landscape. These sculptures became more abstract and universal.

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These sculptures became more abstract and universal,
emphasizing spiritual concepts over literal human form. I found the
wire incredibly satisfying to work with—it allowed for precision while
also suggesting an “out-of-body” portrayal through its transparency.

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I created a series of wire torsos and experimented with sewing wool
‘body parts’ into the sculptures. This juxtaposition of industrial
wire and soft wool conveyed a sense of vulnerability,interconnectivity, and balance between the material and immaterial body.

By sewing my chicken wire body parts together with thread, I symbolized the integration of the external and internal
landscapes—a recurring theme in my concept.

erinalaka1 — 2024-12-17 11:57:46 UTC

Through this body of work, I responded to the brief “The Body as a
Landscape” by exploring the physical form in relation to energy,
spirituality, and internal systems. By integrating diverse
mediums—wire, glass, wool, cyanotype, and oil paint—I reimagined the
body as an interconnected landscape where internal and external worlds
collide.

Future Development

erinalaka1 — 2024-12-17 11:58:30 UTC

The final pieces stand as a testament to the body’s
complexity, not just as a physical entity but as a vessel of energy,
soul, and spirit.

Looking forward, I plan to continue exploring full-body sculptures and
large-scale installations that incorporate light and projection. By
integrating these techniques, I aim to further emphasize the body's
connection to its unseen landscapes and spiritual fields.

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