BFA Thesis Exhibit
Kayleah Aldrich
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Artist Statement
My experiences as a dancer and boxer shape my work. In my paintings, I present women’s bodies in a deconstructed, dynamic, and expressive manner. I find release, control, and connection to myself through movement. Contradictory to historical preconceptions of how women should submissively behave, I use bold line, forceful gesture, and jarring color combinations to counteract these presumptions and portray strength. Bodies are universal vehicles of expression, yet are infinitely unique in the ways each inner self projects through the bodily structures, acting as vessels for our true selves. The figures in my paintings exemplify the rejection of historical conventions, and proclaim directiveness, confidence, and strength through gesture.
Power is an intangible energy our Western society has rules as to how it is presented, accepted, and challenged. Women historically materialize in media not as themselves, but through the lens of men as caricatures of who they should be. As a little girl, I observed my “predestined” role of being a dainty, pretty, and passive feminine individual being laid out in front of me; there wasn’t room for power or strength in these presented rules. I paint to challenge these limiting directives.
These paintings are inspired by cubists and abstract expressionists through paint application to create the sense of dynamic, abstracted figures existing in a color field of a space. These paintings challenge the bravado, male dominated work made at that time. Abstract painters from that time showed off their masculinity and power in their work. I pull from their techniques to present a fresh, opposition through my own narrative as a woman. The vibrant imagery sits on heavy, large, and sturdy panels, acting just as the bodies painted on them do in the act of not being afraid of taking up their space. The women in my work act to defy their traditional submissive, one-dimensional roles by expressing roaring, bold energy through their bodies.
Power is an intangible energy our Western society has rules as to how it is presented, accepted, and challenged. Women historically materialize in media not as themselves, but through the lens of men as caricatures of who they should be. As a little girl, I observed my “predestined” role of being a dainty, pretty, and passive feminine individual being laid out in front of me; there wasn’t room for power or strength in these presented rules. I paint to challenge these limiting directives.
These paintings are inspired by cubists and abstract expressionists through paint application to create the sense of dynamic, abstracted figures existing in a color field of a space. These paintings challenge the bravado, male dominated work made at that time. Abstract painters from that time showed off their masculinity and power in their work. I pull from their techniques to present a fresh, opposition through my own narrative as a woman. The vibrant imagery sits on heavy, large, and sturdy panels, acting just as the bodies painted on them do in the act of not being afraid of taking up their space. The women in my work act to defy their traditional submissive, one-dimensional roles by expressing roaring, bold energy through their bodies.
![A dominantly pink painting with multiple women figures throughout the horizontal composition. The gestures throughout the piece portray powerful stances within the body: a kick, spread out sitting position, a punch, arms crossed, hands up, and an activated run. The space in between the figures include washes on pinks with some light, solid blue.](_images/02_kayleahaldrich-660x527.jpg)
Here to Make You Look // Oil and acrylic on panel // 5 x 4 feet
![A horizontal oil painting with blues, greens, browns, reds, and lime greens. The figurative shapes throughout the composition gesture holding their face, hanging their head, and laying down.](_images/05_kayleahaldrich-660x493.jpg)
Long Head and Tight Chest // Oil on panel // 4 x 3 feet
![A horizontal oil painting with expressive, abstracted figures. The gestures of the figures include kicking, punching, and throwing a hook in various scales. The dominant colors are a bright yellow, soft pink, pastel green, blue, red and some orange.](_images/06_kayleahaldrich-660x534.jpg)
To fight with, not against. // Oil on panel // 4 x 5 feet
![A figurative painting depicting six women spread throughout the piece. The colors are warm and bright with yellow, orange, pink, and green with highlights of a bright blue. The figures are each in their own world, while all existing in this square composition. One lays down, another walks away, one hangs her head, tow comfort each other, and the largest one sits holding their knees to their chest.](_images/09_kayleahaldrich-660x658.jpg)
Afternoon Solitude // Oil and acrylic on panel // 4 x 4 feet
![A vertical oil painting depicting four figures. There are three standing looking in various directions, and one all the way to the right seated. Two smaller arms extend to each upper diagonal corner. The colors are bright blues, olive green, pinks, a glowing yellow, and red.](_images/10_kayleahaldrich-660x837.jpg)
In Transit // Oil on canvas // 1.75 x 1.25 feet