Gothicity
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Opening Reception August 5th, 2023 4pm-6pm Artist talk 4pm 9/23/2023 Show runs from - August 5th, 2023 - September 23rd, 2023 |
(Click above image for press kit)
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Artist - Zofie King
Statement
My pieces depict psychological cabinets of curiosity, inspired by all that is Gothic. Flattened architectural elements, drawn in acrylic pen and painted with gouache and watercolor, are loosely based on partial sections and elevations of historical architecture. They feature “windows” made of photographs and digital collages. The collages are exposed as cyanotypes, overlaying parts with solvent transfers.
Just as in Gothic literature, the work is reminiscent of disused architecture and mysterious omens. Roots symbolize both a sense of rootedness and of being stuck in place, while fungi rejuvenate through decomposition: creation through destruction. Animals and plants move through their life cycles while humans engage in psychological games and power struggles.
The compartmentalized architectural elements are an organizational tool, allowing the mind to wander through and to discover what is within. It can feel a bit ominous, similar to the sensation of going through a haunted house or taking in horror fiction. These surrealistic vignettes are an invitation to project and experience emotions, especially anxieties.
Just as in Gothic literature, the work is reminiscent of disused architecture and mysterious omens. Roots symbolize both a sense of rootedness and of being stuck in place, while fungi rejuvenate through decomposition: creation through destruction. Animals and plants move through their life cycles while humans engage in psychological games and power struggles.
The compartmentalized architectural elements are an organizational tool, allowing the mind to wander through and to discover what is within. It can feel a bit ominous, similar to the sensation of going through a haunted house or taking in horror fiction. These surrealistic vignettes are an invitation to project and experience emotions, especially anxieties.
Biography
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Zofie King was born in Poland and raised in Germany, and came to the US in 1998. After graduating with a psychology degree in 2002, she studied interdisciplinary craft at Towson University, then worked in interior design while taking classes at MICA and the Corcoran, and devoted herself to her studio art practice in 2012. King worked in found object sculpture until 2020, and has since then shifted her focus to works on paper. Her artworks are psychological cabinets of curiosity that are gothic in both style and theme. King has had solo shows at the NVCC Margaret W. Fisher Art Gallery, DC Arts Center, Mount St. Mary’s University Gallery, and Hillyer, as well as a plethora of group exhibitions. She was part of the Sparkplug Collective from 2017-2019 and a member of the Washington Sculptor's Group. Her work is part of numerous private collections,
as well as the DC Art Bank and the Hepburn. |