Kathryn Blommel, University of Minnesota
Charcoal and graphite on paper; 30 x 44 in.
From the artist: I primarily work with charcoal and graphite to create surreal imagery centered around the female form. The images I depict are often expansive and dramatic, evoking an overpowering sense of weight within a landscape. The weight carried throughout the work serves as a metaphor for the complexities of feminine identity, while the figure serves as a sanctuary for human emotion. I fabricate these environments to understand the connection of space and its relationship to the structure of women’s social identities.
Drawing on personal experiences, my work addresses the challenges that coincide with adolescence by utilizing memory as a form of recollection and marker of growth. These memories, along with the relationships that have shaped my identity, help forge a place for my identity to evolve. At the core of my work are sincere and introspective moments, representing women not just as objects of visual delectation, but as embodiments of the experiences that shape their identity.