Tatjana Darling was born in an internment camp in Germany, to a mother who was the sole survivor of her family during the Holocaust. Psychologists speak of transgenerational trauma which asserts that trauma can be transferred in-between generations. Fear, sorrow and death stood by her side since the day she was born.
Being a newcomer to the language of art, I find myself asking questions on how I produce my work – why and how I paint. The challenge I have is to trust my intuition. Do I simply put down ideas, rethink, define and work around every angle and wait for change or accident
What I realize is that I assumed that what I see is separate from me, that I simply observe and record with my eyes. However, when I respond with my brush, a dance of sorts begins and a conversation evolves. Personal memory when dug deep can bring up trauma, sorrow, depression, sweetness, and joy which can play havoc with daily life.
When I paint a personal reality, the world as I perceive it and experience it, in a way, makes sense to me. Memory is an abstract construct. In creating a mind map using word associations, it would give every idea and image a voice and a place on the canvas.
