Last weekend, Kukula (Nataly Abramovitch) returned to Corey Helford Gallery with her dazzling sophomore solo exhibition, ‘Lonely Opulent Things’ (previewed here.) The new paintings, Kukula’s largest works to date, reflect her love for the dark romance of French aristocracy, mannequin dolls, and high fashion.
She pointed out to Hi-Fructose how material objects and fashion originated the narrative for each decadent piece, posing subjects adorned in Chanel, Miu Miu, and YSL clothing. Inspired by a recent trip to Palace of Versailles, her underlining message lies in “the beauty of objects and how we make them parts of ourselves. At the same time, as we collect more and more beautiful things, we end up isolating ourselves behind walls of decadence.”
Upstairs, Natalie Shau adds to Kukula’s tragic femininity with her “Time Stood Still” exhibition. Shau’s surreal digital portraits combine similar elements of fashion with fairytales, her own interpretation of beauty. “Lonely Opulent Things” by Kukula exhibits at Corey Helford Gallery, Culver City, CA, from September 24 – October 15, 2011. – Caro
Natalie Shau
