Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is known for its famous inhabitants, including Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, and Jim Morrison. When artist Marina Kappos explored its grounds, she was captivated by sculptures of grieving women. “They seemed to hold a power in their sadness, but also great beauty and remembrance as they stood guard over many of the tombs,” Kappos reflects.
Exploring themes of loss and memory
In her solo exhibition, Piercing the Veil at SHRINE, Kappos delves into loss and memory. “Grief is a somber subject and multi-layered; it feels fitting for the time we’re living in,” she notes. Cemeteries highlight life and death’s duality, guiding her exploration of presence and absence, and the terrestrial versus the spiritual.
Artworks that capture consciousness
The show features Kappos’ acrylic paintings on wood panels. These pieces depict a threshold between realms using aura-like layers of pigment. “These paintings depict that threshold,” Kappos explains. Hazy landscapes and keyhole shapes suggest transitions between the known and unknown.
A central figure in her works is the widow, influenced by gravestone carvings. This figure embodies power and the potential to bridge two worlds, Kappos explains.
Exhibition details
Piercing the Veil opens on May 15 and runs until June 27 in New York City. For more of Kappos’ work, visit her Instagram.
Source: thisiscolossal.com