The Sun From Both Sides

Nicole Johnson undergraduate exhibition

Reception: February 3, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
February 4 - February 7, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Adam D. Kamil Gallery, UC San Diego

Gallery exhibition of artworks by Nicole Johnson. Nicole's work aims to capture sentimental and often poignant moments with the use of black and white values in her charcoal drawings. She uses feminine subjects to convey ideas of nostalgia, vulnerability, and care for those represented in her works. 

Artist Statement:

I enjoy the drama and nostalgic feeling that comes from working in charcoal and it has been my medium of choice during my time in college.

My work focuses on the practice and display of care for subjects who I often reveal in vulnerable poses and situations. This concept of perceived vulnerability is key to my work and that I hope is conveyed through these new drawings. I want to explore different types of trust and when and how it is given or received. Transforming vulnerability into something material and tangible is one of my goals, finding ways to make it visually striking and poignant to an audience, even shocking. Through the range of light and dark contrasts afforded by charcoal, I aim to provoke an audience to consider their attitudes toward vulnerable entities.

I am interested in the implications of representing personal archival photos in my current drawings and how differences in scale, medium, and intent can transform the atmosphere and read of an image. For example, I am exploring how to work with a photograph so that the subject matter evokes a different feeling as it becomes a drawing.

My artistic process demands physically touching and blending the material with my hands on the paper. This deliberate physical interaction between my body and the materials results in an embodiment of care of the subjects telegraphed through these drawings – the acts of mark-making as caring gestures and a way to soothe.