Greg ‘Craola’ Simkin’s childhood memories have long played an important role and inspiration for his artwork. The playfulness of being a child comes together with creatures of the natural world in his mythical landscapes. He calls this world “the Outside”, a place where the impossible becomes possible, and a cast of anthropomorphized animals set out on bizarre adventures. Simkins expands on this world in his upcoming solo exhibition, “Where Am I?” at KP Project/MKG, opening Saturday. Dreamy and swimming with impeccable detail, his large, painterly new works also leaves the viewer wondering, “Where am I?” Simkins shares, “There is a point during our lifetime when we lose our childhood excitement and curiosities, and become infected with the problems of adulthood. It’s like a part of our brain begins to hibernate or even petrify year by year with every new responsibility. Growing up is a good thing, there are lessons to be learned and passed on to the next generation, but I believe we need to have these windows to glimpse back into and remind us of the feelings we had as a kid. What is the world like beyond the closet door, what is scratching at my bedroom window – what if there really are other worlds to explore and have adventures in — who are the strangers we’d meet there?”
Greg “Craola” Simkins – Where Am I from Birdman on Vimeo.
