Kea Gerike // Artist Statement
In this exhibition, I combine my areas of interest to focus on the contrast of the “Inside” and the “Outside”, as well as the (in some cases quite literal) window between the two. This theme is very personal to me and based on my experience of the metaphorical feeling of being on the outside, desiring to be let in, as well as being on the inside, desiring to be let out. This is something that I have carried with me all my life; I used to think this was tied to a location that I could change by constantly displacing myself, but ultimately, I found out this feeling was connected to myself, that I had to start looking at myself and challenging it at the root. The window represents separation, a longing for the things you do not have, for looking in/out at them but not taking the initiative to get them.
In my Art, I use varying techniques and media to achieve expression and reflection, both of the self and of the world. I have always seen my Art as a tool to convey meaning to others while simultaneously investigating and reflecting upon my own character.
This investigation of the self has played a constant factor throughout my development as an artist, trying to grasp my identity and my place in the world. Over the past ten years, I spent three years in my native Germany, two in Hong Kong, three in the USA, and two in Rome; so, I constantly carry with me a sense of displacement and a question of belonging, a question I try to answer with my Art. I have always been drawn to self-portraits, as they enable one to capture the self at a particular moment, to create a physical testament to one’s existence, and to let one approximate the self (albeit vaguely). It allows the blurred concept of identity to become clear, even for just a moment.
More recently my focus has shifted more towards Abstraction, I am fascinated by lines and how they can combine to form shapes and capture both movement and space. To me, the focus is not only on the finished work, but also on the process of creating it, on letting the hand intuitively draw the line and on emotionally connecting with the work, as inspired by the artistic practice of Paul Klee. This, to me, is a portrait of a different kind, not literally of the self or of others, but of an emotional landscape, an inner flow.
As I said above, I work in multiple media, all adding their unique properties. I enjoy painting for its fluidity, its ability to blur and blend, to create realism, and experiment with color. Printmaking, on the other hand, is unique in that it is indirect and allows for very clear and strong lines that add great emphasis. Lastly, I also enjoy simple pencil drawing for its light and sketchy nature and the immediateness and directness it provides. Combining subject matter with medium is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting decisions an artist has to make.