Chanelle Rose is an Australian contemporary fine artist, known for her striking characters and highly detailed large-scale artworks using ink, and more recently oil paint. With a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Contemporary Art, Chanelle’s work is inspired by human behaviour during life events, where good people are challenged to override the impacts of difficult situations (or people). The art Illustrates these situations from the perspective of inner perceptions; what is going on quietly within, that which is not expressed externally. ‘I create strong characters that reflect our inner perceptions, our summoned courageous self, who we need to help us, or who we have to become to get through life’s challenges... each character has their own story, a strong message, and my artwork is the messenger’.
About the artist
Chanelle Rose is an Australian contemporary fine artist, known for her striking characters and highly detailed large-scale artworks using ink, and more recently oil paint. With a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Contemporary Art, Chanelle’s work is inspired by human behaviour during life events, where good people are challenged to override the impacts of difficult situations (or people). The art Illustrates these situations from the perspective of inner perceptions; what is going on quietly within, that which is not expressed externally. ‘I create strong characters that reflect our inner perceptions, our summoned courageous self, who we need to help us, or who we have to become to get through life’s challenges... each character has their own story, a strong message, and my artwork is the messenger’.
Chanelle creates each piece with the purpose of resonating with the viewer in such a way that it empowers the viewer to have faith in who they are, to have the strength to fight injustice, and the strength to represent justice.
‘The work is strong because it carries a strong message.’
The suited skull characters for example are perceived as alive, they do not represent death, darkness or evil as skulls are often portrayed. Instead, they represent our core inner-self, our private thoughts, fears, strengths and values. They do not define race, sex, culture, or have distinguishing facial features, they represent what it is simply to be ‘human’. We are united by the fact that we as humans all have a skull, and the skulls purpose is to protect the brain - which in-turn, holds our thoughts and perceptions.
The masks represent being silent, not speaking our thoughts, or instead being silenced. The spikes show levels of inner rage, finger claws are beautifully intricate and reflect being ready to take on a given situation, and the chains remind us to be careful with whom we share our thoughts with... having trust and constraint within oneself. As the work and the collection of characters have grown, the timeline of events also reflect the characters coming through situations, pausing to draw inner strength from the morning light, flourishing, and embracing new beginnings. As the work evolves, the use of colour has entered Chanelle’s work and at times, her characters are seen uniting together to incite justice.
“Those that understand the deeper layers of being human, see so much more”
Coming from a contemporary art context, her subjects defy traditional social definitions of strong symbols (skulls, spikes, masks etc.) and instead uses them to embody elegant and sophisticated characters who reflect how we view our world from within; our responses to diverse, personal and social issues.
From a contemporary art perspective, each piece has a story written to inspire and prompt reflection, of a time well known to the viewer. Much of Chanelle’s work sits within the collections of people where the art represents either themselves, or has become a part of an important message for their own viewers. For those who have had to draw heavily on strength and resilience to get to where they are now, the artwork and its message hangs proudly within their beautiful homes; as a reminder of who they are, who they have had to be, and how they got there.
“At times we forget the details... what we needed for strength, to strategise, be courageous, to pause, to bathe and energise in the morning light... the artwork reminds us”.
