KIRON CANCELIER
Artist Statement.
The creation of my art is inspired by nature and architecture. These two components allow me to create pieces that I enjoy creating from clay. Ceramics is used as a medium in my work to define organic elements. The clay has also a fundamental use because it connects to nature. The different glazes on the ceramic pieces, before and after firing, often recall some earth tones. Ceramic has the flexibility to make sculptures on a smaller or a larger scale. There are other mediums used to create sculpture that are collaborated with different materials like insulation panel, wood, metal, or plaster that allow me to work with three-dimensional pieces as well. The use of geometric shapes and symmetry often appears in my work. Throughout my career I encountered working at a printmaking studio, where I flourished on my knowledge and skills. The delicate result from working with cyanotype covers the classic style of an ancient image. This evokes to me a connection that emphasizes the passing of something or someone. From screen-printings to collagraphs printmaking thrives me to be more productive. From monochrome to polychrome, the importance of color matters. The meaning behind my work sometimes reflects a personal approach from the past. I found myself using this medium in relation to my identity and to create an aesthetically pleasing landscape.
The ideology of exploring a landscape is connecting to my identity and my entity. I use the word landscape as a metaphor to self-analyze the conscious and unconscious. My artistic work projects the duality of my origins and cultures. Being an adopted child often questions the sense of belonging. Through these ideas, making art fills the emptiness of wonder that continues to these days. The expansion to explore the Belgian and the Indian culture. It is a dilemma between the existent and the non-existent culture. I challenged myself more after moving to the United States of America. And here, I encountered a new culture and many other cultures that emphasized the need to express my artwork. New York inspires me a lot with its architecture, I admire Zaha Hadid, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le Corbusier. The visual art in my work is encouraged by these architects. As well as the fashion designer Iris Van Herpen, which along with Hadid stimulates the desire to feature nature.
The craving to produce work comes also from the aching pain coming up from time to time, and never really goes away. Making art helps me to overcome the pain of being in mourning. The destructive unfairness puts me in a dark place because I don’t want to accept the reality of losing someone. Life and death are perceived through the lens of my work. It is constantly balanced with colors. I like to use contrast with color, shape, and texture to create abstract art. Textures and forms are built upon my interest in fashion and architecture, as well as nature.
My closure to natural elements is constructed from the aesthetic of Zaha Hadid and Iris Van Herpen for the organic features of their work. I also suggest the appearance of physical forms by using my own body. I refer to this technique towards the work of Ana Mendieta and Janine Antoni. The trace left by my body is created to highlight the idea of identity. It is often put in a context that I chose for the audience to question. Between curiosity and mystery, I enjoy making artwork through aesthetics and strangeness.
Kiron Cancelier 