Neo-Nates [B]
2006
Intaglio & Digital Prints, Chine collé, Wax         

Claude Jones              
Residence: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand

My imagery centers on the re-visioning of the human body in an age of increasingly visible and accessible biotechnology and cosmetic surgery practices. I explore ways in which these practices influence our perceptions of beauty, deformity, and culturally accepted notions of physical normality. Working across mediums, I create an imaginary world of hybrids and mutants, intended to provoke inquiry about our potential future forms and how we perceive and imagine corporeal otherness.

The initial stage in the production of my images, involves the construction of nascent, amorphous forms – a combination of doll parts and animal parts. These ‘creatures’ are then used as puppets in my staged photographs, prints, performances, and videos. Through the process of translating my creations from one medium to another, I am interested in the transcendence of the monstrous to the marvelous, the grotesque to the sublime.

My work is ironically transgressive—the creatures I produce are neither human nor animal, yet they do not appear deformed; rather they are new formation of a species whose function and reason for existence is questionable at best. Whilst suggestive of alien life forms or Frankenstein fetuses, these images are also about ourselves—about our own fear and fascination in regards to the other, in all its forms, both real and imagined.

These prints are comprised of layers of printed images and chine collé papers that have been sealed together with wax. The process involves printing each layer of the image onto  a Japanese paper which is lightweight and very absorbent. Some of the layers get their colour from coloured chine collé papers and some are hand coloured using watercolours. The printed images are then heated on a hot plate and mirco-crystalline wax is melted over the surface of them. Whilst still very hot, the images are sealed together to form one image. When cool, the final image is glued and embossed onto the rag paper.

Education
Master of Visual Arts, Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney, Australia [2007]
Postgraduate Exchange, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Bachelor of Visual Arts, First Class Honors, Sydney College of the Arts, Australia
Honours Exchange, The Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Diploma of Fine Arts, The National Art School, Sydney, Australia

2008
‘Folio 20’, Marriane Newman Gallery, Sydney, Australia
‘Port Jackson Press graduate Printmaking Award Exhibition’, Victoria, Australia
’15 Artsists, 150 Drawings’, Collectif Nai, Chateaulin, Brittany, France
‘The Linden Postcard Show’, Linden Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2007
‘Mutation & Imaginiation’, Solo Exhibition, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, Australia
‘Hybridism’, SCA Galleries 1 & 2, Sydney, Australia
‘The Duke Art Prize’, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Queensland, Autralia
‘City of Whyalla Art Prize, Middleback Theatre, Port Adelaide, South Australia
‘The Space In Between, Sheffer Gallery, Sydney, Australia
‘Trio’, The Other Gallery, Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta, Canada
‘Miniature’, The Other Gallery, Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta, Canada
‘Tast de la Cultura Contemporania, El Bruc Municipal Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
‘December Collective Exhibition’, Gallery Contrast, Barcelona, Spain
Profile Week 4, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, Australia
‘Folio 20’, SCA Galleries 1 & 2, Sydney, Australia
‘The Linden Postcard Show’, Linden Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
‘Con.ceit’, The Corangamarah Art Prize, Colac, Victoria, Australia