Solo exhibition Los bocetos del carmen by Michale Schmeja

'los bocetos del carmen'

The title of the show translates from spanish to 'the sketches of el carmen'. El Carmen is the neighbourhood of central Valencia, Spain, in which I created many murals of urban art in the streets, in which I lived, socialised, and where I had my studio space that I shared with a group of local artists. Before my return to Melbourne in September, 2017, I had been living in Valencia for the past two years, and this body of work was created within this time.

It is a continuation of my love of shape, form and line..... A love of mistakes, simplicity, and multi layers. Also, a love of street art, which primarily began while I was practising in the Blender studios, Melbourne.

Visually influenced by the multi layers of street art that covers a majority of the walls in El Carmen, the works communicate a history of mark making: Drawing over drawing. Art over art.

With the use of interweaving borders created with outline, and the overlapping layers of shape and form, the works communicate a history of mark making. And with the use of transparency, the viewer is able to see the subtly exposed history of layers, and then create a story or relationship which may link them to the more visible, recent marks made.

The colours used are seen in much of the architecture in Valencia, and which can also be recognised in many natural environments.