SIA SARIMA – VISUAL ARTIST

Starting out as a photojournalist, I also wrote a book and collaborated in a travel guide; following the launch of the Photoshop software program, working on images unaccompanied by text became my key focus.

Until 2015, I created graphic artworks by incorporating elements from photographs into my designs, but I feel the way I work now is much closer to the approach of a visual artist.

The images I compose are designed to become part of a conversation, stimulating reaction and interaction.

The images I offer up embody my thoughts on the fleeting moment of life I inhabit in my present space in time. News, events, travel, the spirit of the times… everything is a stimulus for content.

The philosopher Michel Onfray is one of my sources of inspiration; he wrote the following words, which make perfect sense to me: “The aesthetic value of a work should be measured in terms of its potential as a spur for response and discussion. Any reference to the non-transmissible nature of the experience is proof that transmissible content is absent.”

I find China and the Chinese artistic scene both fascinating and exhilarating, so much so that, despite having celebrated my 55th birthday, I am filled with inspiration and energy to explore new approaches to creation, incorporating alternative artistic values and seeking fresh interpretations.