Artist research Freya Jobbins

For my ice breaker project I have done research in artist Freya Jobbins.

Freya Jobbins (1965) born in South Africa and now based in Sydney, is an artist who is mostly famous for her artworks made out of plastic. Her collection mainly consists of faces. She also practice video, collage, printmaking and installation.  

When she was 28 years old her life changed when she had a car accident that left her face disfigured.  She underwent many surgeries rebuilding her face. This accident had a huge impact on her life. She developed post-traumatic stress disorder.

The artwork she makes is a sort of therapy for her, a way of dealing with this disorder. 

She uses recycled materials such as second-hand barbie and bratz dolls for her artworks Jobbins (2015). Which I think is really clever. As a kid we always wanted the newest dolls or toys so there are always materials available.

Buying those dolls from a second hand shop makes her work sustainable and cheap. She collect toys to reconstruct them using hands, feet and faces. According to Jobbins (2019). She rebuild faces with recycled parts, like her own plastic surgery on her face after her car accident.. She uses the Japanese method of Kintsugi, using surgical style stitches to connect the plastic parts of the dolls.  She also uses repetitive patters and designs which makes her work symmetrical Jobbins (2020). Her work reflects thoughts, feelings and identity. 

Her work is been seen in many shows, nationally and internationally. She also had four solo shows in Australia. There were also a series of Freya's masks featured in magazine's.

Batman

This mask of batman took her 14 months to complete, because she had to collect  specific parts of the toys.

Eurydice 

This artwork reminds me of my childhood because I loved to play with Barbie dolls. When I was younger I cut all the hair of the dolls shorts, making my mom really angry and throw all the dolls away. She really shows a creative way of re-using dolls for a new purpose.

Dollface

The way she makes a nose with materials that are not in the shape of a nose, but she puts it in such a way that it is a nose. Also the way she used a plastic piece as shadow is really clever and creative. Her work is original and peculiar making her work fascinating to look at and at the same time. Using hands and feet into her work is not something you see on a daily basis which makes it more uncomfortable to look at. 

Reference:

Crowie, K. and Crowie, K., 2015. A Peek into the Intricate World of Freya Jobbins | Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. [online] Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. Available at: <https://beautifulbizarre.net/2015/10/14/a-peek-into-the-intricate-world-of-freya-jobbins/> [Accessed 11 April 2021].

Abc.net.au. 2019. 'It might horrify you': How Freya rebuilt herself while building monsters. [online] Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-10/monsters-created-from-doll-parts-shock-and-inspire/11585304#:~:text=Artist%20Freya%20Jobbins%20was%20involved,it's%20impossible%20to%20look%20away\> [Accessed 11 April 2021].

Theaither.com. 2020. Art Talk – Freya Jobbins | The Aither. [online] Available at: <https://theaither.com/2020/07/19/art-talk-freya-jobbins/> [Accessed 11 April 2021].