final degree statement

Gemma Parr
“Society issues and the general public”

Exploring the issue of children maturing rapidly my work developed into video art. I have produced five short films. Initially the films are juvenile and playful, although subsequently intensifying throughout.

stills from film 2011



“Being childish”  

Children and young adults feel the need to mature quicker. They consider youth to be pointless exercise and as a result loose their innocence. “Being childish” was about involving the community and helping them relive their childhood memories or experiences. Involving young adults in childish activities and filming the occurrence.

“The unexpected”

Creating art in unusual and unexpected places for example, lifts and studios.

“Destroying childhood” bursting balloons developed following “the unexpected” conclusion. Balloons could be used as a symbol for childhood and bursting balloons may possibly be a metaphor for destroying childhood resulting in irreparable damage. Balloons contain objects from childhood representing the adolescent’s purity. Society is responsible for destroying childhood it is now considered unacceptable for young adults to act immature there is no innocence anymore.

“Sinister hidden meanings”

Researching into hidden meanings I found nursery rhymes to be disturbing. Placing nursery rhymes plus the unknown meanings into a balloon and bursting it has similar implication as the earlier video. Red and the knife both represent the alarming sense of the nursery rhymes. The cracking of the glass of “goosey goosey gander” represents the child or young adult realising the real meaning behind the rhyme and they feelings for that part of their childhood shattering quite literally.

“Innocent ideas”

Asking young children they think they will achieve as adults most of their ideas were implausible. Writing the ideas onto unemployed bulbs presents the proposal that the bulbs will never be used. Using the thought that when people think of an idea a light bulb appears. It is sinister as most adults do not live up to their potential.