Karli Tucker
Artist Statement
I am a classically trained painter and multidisciplinary artist. There's a confidence in the skill of portraiture in my work and a joy in the sculpture and installation. Exploring the relationship between trauma and identity through transposing portraiture onto unstable or anamorphic media gives me a way to create a physical representation of memory loss, hallucinatory states, body integrity, and dissociative episodes. I spend time investigating alienation from myself in response to physical and psychological phenomena. I think about how I am and am not myself. I am in search of the processes and rituals we explore to mend the psyche and grow out of trauma-response living into a productive present reality.
Originally from Southern California, I am heavily influenced by the cultural patois and palette of the West Coast. Spanning from the sprawling neon and smog-diffused coastal energy of Los Angeles to the austere warmth of the desert interior, the region is ingrained in the work I create.
I look for the beautiful amongst the harsh realities of life, and my work reflects a desire to find solace and healing in the sublime. I strive to speak truth and the power of optimism through my art in a sea of anxiety- invoking scenes of extraterrestrial landscapes, cancerous growth, funhouse mirrors, and claustrophobic spaces.
Instagram: @ilrak
Website: karlijanell.com