ARTIST STATEMENT

Content

I paint socially conscious art. I get the ideas for my paintings from thoughts about everyday life; I react to the things around me. Most of them originate from a strong feeling I had about art, violence, crime, abuse, racism, polluting the environment, poverty, politics, equality or cruelty – in all: humanity. This includes observing things as a foreigner in the US. My paintings are argumentative and they often ask questions from the viewer, inviting them to participate and think. There is an intentional freedom to feel.

Technique

My paintings are between abstract and representative - they can be experienced as both. I am very interested in bold mark making and find new ways to use materials. I love to paint on large unprimed canvases with thick acrylic paint. Therefore the act of painting is vigorous; there’s a lot of movement and feeling. I build up layers with painting, drawing, stenciled text, screening and collaged materials. I often use found materials, such as tickets, empty bullets, warning band, metal objects and sand.

I picture faces, especially the eyes, as a way to communicate my feeling to the viewer. As in real life - the eye area is where most of the communication occurs. Still, the story behind it is equally important with the actual making of the piece. I want to paint what is at the same time aesthetically and intellectually appealing.

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