DEVORAH HILL
Written by Amos White V for THE ARTISTS FORUM / AF MAG
Image: Devorah Hill “Seated”
www.theartistsforum.org
Copyright 2007: The Artists Forum, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
RESIDENCE: Brooklyn, NY
ART: Visual Art
GENRE: Pen and Ink
TRAINING: Self Taught
LATEST WORKS: "seated", "besame", "good morning", "touch"
THEMES: Erotica / Human Sexuality
PRESS: (information not available at press time)
UPCOMING THEMES: works dealing with widening the representation of the erotic community
WEBSITES: www.devorahhill.blogspot.com, www.myspace.com/devorahhill
EMAIL: digitaldevah@hotmail.com
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WHAT ARE YOUR THEMES ABOUT?: Erotica / Human SexualityWHAT IS YOUR (DRAWING) PROCESS?: It depends on the subject. For my erotic works, I spend sometime viewing and researching traditional erotic art from different cultures; mostly Asian and African. I notice when I look at those images, they tend to be rather static. So, I stylize them and give them motion. Then I look for photographs which are either exact the same, or similar. That tends to be just the two bodies, [as] I am not going to intrude on someone’s life to ask them to hold the pose. So I create the environment, so as to create the mood. It goes through several modes. The sketch, which is very rough and raw - generally those of the two characters. Then, I have to leave it for a minute. Then I do a rough of the environment, them place them in it, to see what looks best for them.
That tends to be two different pieces of paper. So then its re-drawn from that, then fine tuned. It usually takes 3 or four versions of drawings to get a clean ink, which is the final draft... the final project. It has to be clean.
I do my erotic series in pen and ink because they tend to be very graphic.
So, I want them to be as simple as possible so as not to belabor the drawing. Then the viewer can bring their own experience. They sort of project those experiences to the drawing - even if they its ‘Oh, I never thought of [doing] that!’
I just think it gives them more space to incorporate themselves into the work... to experience it. I don’t want them to come to the work from an abstract place. I want them to experience it.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?: To use the work to open up a discourse around sexuality and eroticism, and have people engage in a healthy discourse. The rates of HIV and AIDS at this point are pandemic. I think it has a lot to do with a lack of discussion about erotica. If the mystery of it could be defused, it may help decrease unnecessary infections.
I want people to look at the images. Because they are not vibrant with color, it allows one to look at them without judgement, then ask themselves “How do I feel about it”. Then, its their own discourse.
Hopefully they will stimulate a conversation with another. So, if someone happens to go to my exhibit with their lover, maybe it will open up discussion about new ideas [regarding their sex life]. And also, if a parent and child go to the exhibit, perhaps it will lead to discussions about safe sex - A healthy dialogue about human sexuality, not something that's ‘out there'... [It involves our family too].
VIEWS ON THE INDUSTRY: I feel opportunities show themselves where you least expect. Luck is an opportunity for which you are prepared.
ADVICE: For people in New York, there are lots of contemporary programs for new artists. One which has a proven track record is the AIM program at the Bronx Museum. Anyone who is interested in the marketplace, should look around their town to see if they have [something similar to ] that.
