In Conversation: Artist's & Their Narratives – Part 3

For the final edition of our three-part interview series, we spoke with Dannielle Hodson. After graduating from the Royal College of Art with an MA in painting, Dannielle has displayed her work in various galleries across London, Paris, and New York. Her large-scale oil paintings teem with physiological details—a grotesquely comic multitude of human and animal eyes, teeth, and limbs. In conversation with Dannielle we explore the root of these figurative elements.

Question: How do elements of cultural theory, mythology, or fantasy shape your creative process? Can you share specific examples of how these themes have informed your artistic direction?

Answer: There's a lot happening in my paintings. I believe they are a reflection on my own perception of reality, as well as a range of research questions I like to focus on. The interpretations of my paintings can be extremely broad, but I often seem to return to the same question: What are the driving forces of human behaviour? Whilst I paint, I usually listen to audiobooks on topics related to social sciences, heretics, neuroscience, psychology, and psychiatry. I’m also a big fan of fiction books—especially magical realism and fantasy genres. I tend to try and keep my subject matters light and avoid projecting fixed ideas on my paintings. The idea that characters change and develop deeply informs my work, which is why you can often see my characters transform or mutate, resisting a single interpretation of themselves.

Question: In what ways has your personal background influenced the themes and concepts behind your artwork? Could you share how specific aspects of your upbringing or culture have shaped your creative vision?

Answer: Earlier in my career, I worked in fashion and studied womenswear at Central St Martins. My passion for exquisite, intricate clothing has never waned, and this often translates into the costumes my characters wear—chimerical, whimsical, and as fantastical as the characters themselves, usually comprised of faces and limbs; a kind of circus-inspired cartoon couture. For example, when I was painting L’eclat, I was reading Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus, and in the painting, I see three stacked dresses much like totem pole trenches.

Question: What artistic techniques or visual elements do you use to enrich and communicate the narratives behind your work?

Answer: Although my paintings are fuelled by stories, they are not explicitly illustrative.  The stories embedded within them are up to the viewer to discern. Recently, I have been researching the science behind storytelling because I was interested in how that information could translate into painting. I clung onto something Margaret Atwood said along the lines of "no one will read a book where everything goes well and everyone behaves themselves," When my work feels too predictable, I consciously pivot in an unexpected direction to build impact and tension, much like in a compelling story.  

Question: Are there any upcoming projects or works in progress that you're excited about and would like to share?

Answer: Yes! I currently have two exhibitions in New York: a solo exhibition titled Chasing Rabbits at Kravets Wehby Gallery, running until October 12th, and a group show called Being Human, curated by Natasha Arselan at Morris Adjmi Architects.

All Image Credits: Dannielle Hodson

You can continue to follow Dannielle's career through her website.