Biography
Céline Siani Djiakoua is a visual artist, performer and jewellery maker. She was born in Nantes, France. She first studied Psychology (MA) and had a personal interest and experience in Psychoanalysis. She trained and worked as a schoolteacher and was going to become a psychologist when she moved to the U.K. in 2001. Since then she has followed her passion for Fine Art, graduating from Staffordshire University in June 2009. She is now based in Nottingham. She has a studio at Backlit Studio. In 2009/10, she received a bursary from Longhouse (West Bromwich) to develop an “Action Research”. Since 2009, she has been commissioned for a couple of projects (Rebirth – NHS; BCCA – Wolverhampton University and Longhouse; Common Ground – Airspace Gallery). Céline Siani Djiakoua’s work is multidisciplinary, involving photography, video, drawing, performance and installations. Her practice is profoundly influenced by her bodily experience as a previous dancer. Her work is informed by her interests in Jungian and Freudian/Lacanian theories, Phenomenology, Feminism and Cross Cultural Communication. In July 2013 she started to work collaboratively with with two philosophers from the University of Nottingham: Jules Holroyd and Komarine Romdenh-Romluc.The project “Engendering Bodily Experience” initiates a dialogue between Art and Philosophy exploring the effects of social power on our bodily experience.
Statement
Céline Siani Djiakoua is a visual artist, performer and jewellery maker. She was born in Nantes, France. She first studied Psychology (MA) and had a personal interest and experience in Psychoanalysis. She trained and worked as a schoolteacher and was going to become a psychologist when she moved to the U.K. in 2001. Since then she has followed her passion for Fine Art, graduating from Staffordshire University in June 2009. She is now based in Nottingham. She has a studio at Backlit Studio. In 2009/10, she received a bursary from Longhouse (West Bromwich) to develop an “Action Research”. Since 2009, she has been commissioned for a couple of projects (Rebirth – NHS; BCCA – Wolverhampton University and Longhouse; Common Ground – Airspace Gallery). Céline Siani Djiakoua’s work is multidisciplinary, involving photography, video, drawing, performance and installations. Her practice is profoundly influenced by her bodily experience as a previous dancer. Her work is informed by her interests in Jungian and Freudian/Lacanian theories, Phenomenology, Feminism and Cross Cultural Communication. In July 2013 she started to work collaboratively with with two philosophers from the University of Nottingham: Jules Holroyd and Komarine Romdenh-Romluc.The project “Engendering Bodily Experience” initiates a dialogue between Art and Philosophy exploring the effects of social power on our bodily experience.
Statement
Céline Siani Djiakoua
uses drawing, photography and installation to investigate universal human
experiences through the exploration of her own emotions. She examines language without form, creating imagery around the body
to evoke strong feelings. The images are a physical sensation, with a tension
between staying afloat and drowning, breathing and suffocating. The works are a
subconscious and pre-verbal embodiment of internalised sensations that
transcend the need for written or auditory language.
Siani states that it is important to link with
an audience; "I believe if I go deep within myself I can reach the same
emotional levels with other people. This can help people connect with
themselves. We do not do this within modern society".
With the ambiguity of a disconnected
connectedness Siani has produced a range of sensitive, delicate yet complex and
at points disturbing works that make us question our own understanding of what
resides within us.
