Artist Statement

Dominique Martinot is an Australian artist living and working in Eora Sydney whose practice includes painting, weaving, and textiles. Her work is tactile and tangible, inviting the viewer to engage on a sensory level. Dominique’s art is process driven and informed by extensive research into the history of ornamentation.

In her larger scale works, Dominique utilises weaving and textiles to explore the concept of the grid. Inspired by Anni Albers' approach to abstract and geometric weavings, she uses the inherent vertical and horizontal structure of the weave to explore the hand made gridded structure. The process of weaving by hand creates irregularities that emphasise the handmade quality of the work.

Dominique is drawing on the cultural legacies passed down through craftsmanship, particularly the iconography from folk art of her Dutch heritage which often finds its way into her handmade weavings. This can be seen through the blue and white colour pallet and the images pulled from historical photos of ornamental objects. 

In her most recent body of work, Dominique explores the idea of ornamentation within a contemporary context, linking back to the culture of pre-Christian Dutch folk art used in everyday life. Her objective is to create pieces with a pared-down colour palette, accentuating the texture and structure of weaving and engaging the viewer through the visual and tactile aspects of the work. Using archival information and objects to quote their formal qualities and patterning in reverence, aiming to create a collaged quotation. Materiality and scale are central considerations, aiming to connect the work to the human experience.

Bio

Dominique Martinot was born in 2001 and is an emerging painter living in Kings Cross.They graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National Art School in 2023 majoring in painting. In 2024, they completed a two month artist residency in Guadalajara, Mexico with Jupiterfab. Her works focus on weaving and the gridded structure and are informed by extensive research into ornamentation histories. Dominique's practice is influenced by the cultural histories passed down through craft. Dominique’s work has been shown in the Graduation Show at the National Art School and artist run galleries in Sydney, including at PicknChews and Blue Moon in Newcastle. Prior to studying at the National Art School, she studied at UNSW.