Growth

Marissa Rodriguez Schimizzi was born and raised in Canberra, Australia, but considers herself a cross-cultural kid.  Her father immigrated to Australia from Málaga, Spain, and her mother is the daughter of Italian immigrants.  She has recently returned to Australia after 10 years living in the south of Spain.

Marissa studied Printmedia and Drawing at the ANU School of Art.  There she discovered the world of papercutting and found that it was the ideal way to express herself and her ideas around culture, identity and everyday struggles.  She has had work exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery’s Head Space, the ANU Foyer Gallery and the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre.  You can find more of Marissa’s work on her website: https://marissa-rodriguez-schimizzi.webnode.com/.

Artist’s statement:

Growth, paper cut.

This artwork was inspired by my experiences living and travelling around Spain, Denmark and Australia.

A national flower, a national story.

A personal flower, a personal story.

Separate in many ways, but forming part of a whole.

Growing, dying, birthing, struggling, accepting, avoiding, helping, needing, increasing, decreasing, fulfilling, emptying…

Cyclical.

Will I continue this cycle, or will I make a new circle?

© Marissa Rodriguez Schimizzi, 2020