Interview: Rachel Burgoyne
Luca Curci talks with Rachel Burgoyne during CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2021 – 8TH EDITION, at THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space.

“My name is Rachel Burgoyne and I currently work in Boulder, Colorado. I work primarily in acrylics, but I have also used ink, graphite, and watercolour. I draw my inspiration from a desire to compose elements, balance forms, and experiment with colour. I use strong women in media as inspiration, taking their stories and faces and capturing moments with texture and sharpness onto the support, which is almost always either canvas or wood. I isolate the shadows and highlights, follow up with the details, and finish off the work with a background that fits with the existing figure rather than fitting the figure onto what lies behind.”

Luca Curci – Which subject are you working on?
Rachel Burgoyne – I am currently continuing my experimenting with faces of women, however, I am shifting my focus to different mediums instead of relying solely on acrylics. I am currently in the process of exploring alcohol inks, which provide an interesting contrast to my current comfort level of paint opacity.

LC – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
RB – I was exposed to art at an early age by my father. He brought me to museums, and art institutes, and showed me endless books full of beautiful illustrations and paintings. His own artwork drove me to be primarily interested in composition, form, and focal points. However, I didn’t begin my own journey in creation until around 2013.

LC – Which is the role the artist plays in society? And contemporary art?
RB – The artist’s role in society is often founded on a desire to either invoke emotion in oneself or in the viewer, be they just one or many. I have often discussed this matter with fellow artists, and the answers differ greatly depending on the person. The resulting consensus tends to hover around emotion stemming from within or a want to inspire something if not that same emotion in others.

LC – Are your artworks focused on a specific theme?
RB – My work is a balance between capturing or inspiring the power of women, and exploring the composition of form, light, and texture.

LC – Do visitors’ suggestions enrich yourself and your art?
RB – I enjoy having conversions with others about what my art means to them. Everyone has their own experience, bringing all of their past experiences and current emotions to the moment where my art is seen in their eyes. The difference in each person’s reaction to each piece is fascinating. For some, the background speaks louder to them than the subject. For some, the colour palette is their main focus. Art is interpreted by different people is part of what brings it to life.

LC – We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the festival or as a part of preexisting works?
RB – The set of work being shown at the festival is part of a larger series of portraits that I have been adding to and changing for years. I chose specific words that flow together and yet are different enough to hold their own.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the festival?
RB – Definitely! The theme of humans in relation to the universe particularly lends itself well to my vision of my work.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
RB – I enjoy the platform. I like how artist-focused the platform is and its accessibility.

LC – What do you think about the organization of our event?
RB – The organization was lovely. I had a very easy time communicating with the staff and felt very welcome.

LC – Would you suggest a collaboration with us? What do you think about our services?
RB – I would definitely suggest a collaboration. It was excellent to work with everyone!