An Exhibit by Kari Achatz
Cut. To make an opening or incision with a sharp-edged tool. To cut is to remove from something larger. The ability to slice through and let the light in. This work is complicated. It is not quite college, photomontage or sculpture, although all of these elements can be considered within the layers of the pieces. I am pushing the boundaries of traditional papercutting and weaving by cutting photographs. Traditional artforms that have been made contemporary. The hand cut, lifted, and multilayered works I create verge on sculpture, but remain two-dimensional as they are contained within boxes and frames. I consider myself an artist who draws with a blade, creating a unique language within the artwork. My cutting language reflects the intricacies in which I view the world. My hand cut and layered artwork speaks to the complicated relationships that humans have with their environment, and in this case the focus is on doorways and passageways found in abandoned spaces. Doors imply that passage is possible, but it is not always certain that you are able to pass through. The artworks in this body of work invite the viewer to have a conversation with the work and themselves. What thresholds will you pass through? What conversations will unfold? See Kari’s artist talk.
