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| Kalana Grace is a young artist based
in Sydney, on Gadigal Country and Eora Nation, who explores topics of
identity and community through art. As a Queer Multi-Modal Artist, Kalana
focuses on portraying people and studying the way humans exist, interact, love, and feel. I have always felt it was integral to my artist practice to
portray the community around me. My aim in doing so has been to seek out
empathy, curiosity and love. I want to show all the intricacies and
complications of human bodies and relations. We are vessels that respond
to the societal structures in which we live. Society teaches us how to exist,
and the people that don't fall under this umbrella blanket of expectations
can be ostracised. There is so much beauty in love persevering despite the
shame and stigma that can be cast onto others because of it. @kalana_grace |
| UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE-HOMAGE TO BARBARA NITKE
Kalana Grace, UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE- HOMAGE TO BARBARA NITKE, 2024, Acrylic on Wooden Panel, Installation, 2mx3m |
| I've always been interested in working with marginalised communities,
taking a deeper look into how our experiences inform our wants and needs. I'm interested in the ways that power systems and societal structures such
as the patriarchy, capitalism, colonialism etc. have shaped and influenced
our ideas of the world. How one's ideas that are thought to be independent and individual often are a product of their environment. The ways in which
individuals and groups rebel against said structures, and the responses
that such acts of rebellion receive. Barbara Nitke photography is all about exposing that which is taboo. She pushes against censorship of certain
topics in order to end stigma. Her photography series 'Kiss of Fire" (2003) explores the underground kink scene in Berlin during the 90's,'Kinksters'
are often deemed perverted for the ways in which they choose to play,
explore and express love. This stigmatization can lead to discrimination in which people are labeled as 'mentally ill', 'predatory' and can even be seen
as 'criminals’. Nitke exposes that which is taboo, and in doing so
humanizes marginalized groups. I knew with this body of work that I wanted to create a homage to Barbara
Nitke and her photography. I was awestruck by her investment in showing
marginalized sex in a loving and humanizing light, her fight against the
legal system to end stigmas in favor of normalizing that which is considered
taboo. Sex is something which informs a lot of our social interactions as
humans, it influences our laws and our ideas of purity. As a society we hold
ideas on who can and can't have sex , what is and isn't perverted. Yet
despite this underlying discourse in society over what is widely seen as a
private act, there isn't much open talk on sex. Stigmas, taboos, purity
cultures ... even the law in some cases prevents open discussions and
education on sex for many young people. Barbara Nitke's photography
aims to open up conversations about this. My Body of work aims to open these same conversations through looking
at Barabara Nitkes own figures. 'Unconventional Love- Homage to Barbara
Nitke' (2024), is a large installation of 3 paintings depicting several figures
photographed by Nitke. My largest painting (841mm x 1189mm) is acrylic
on paper and sits suspended in space, held by chains attached to a copper rod. This Painting is complemented by 2 other paintings, 1 (acrylic on
wooden panel) painting that is hung from chains (420 x 594) and another
circular painting (acrylic on wooden panel) that is nailed to the wall. Whilst
the images and scenes I depict within my paintings hold subject matter that
may be confronting to some viewers, the figures are surrounded by bright colorful backgrounds to contrast this, presenting the figures in a bold way
that draws attention to them. The chains and metals rods which hold the
paintings work to juxtapose the fun and bright presentation of the paintings
whilst complimenting the subject matter. |