Luxury plays a big role in Kukula’s art and life, who once said of her subjects, “Who really knows who they are, anyway? Clothes help me decide.” We first featured her elaborate paintings of fashion obsessed pale-skinned beauties in Hi-Fructose Vol. 7, and many times on our blog, where over the years she has committed her art to capturing the beauty of Rococo and modern grandeur.
Colored pencils haven’t quite received the recognition of their counterparts as a fine art material- and yet over the years, we’ve featured artists from all over the world who have surprised us with what can be achieved by these utensils from our elementary school sets. CHG Circa in Los Angeles sent a group of international artists a set of their own and invited them to refer back to their child imagination.
Last week, we brought to you a glimpse of “Haute Debutantes”, the latest solo exhibition by HF Vol. 7 artist Kukula. We recently caught up with the Connecticut based artist to learn more about her process behind the show, who is celebrating with a reception tonight at AFA Gallery in New York. Kukula admittedly applies herself to excessive research in preparation of a new series. For “Haute Debutantes”, she poured over images of couture fashion designs and researched 18th century paintings of high class society.
We first featured Connecticut based Nataly “Kukula” Abramovitch in Hi-Fructose Vol. 7, who paints fashion obsessed pale-skinned beauties that transform into ornate objects. For her next solo exhibition “Haute Debutantes” at AFA Gallery in New York, opening September 5th, Kukula continues to explore this idea of transformation and female beauty. Her definition of a debutante, a high-class girl entering into fashionable society, is not what you might expect.
In ten years, Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City has accumulated quite the family- over 100 artists strong. Commemorating their 10th anniversary, opening January 10th, their artists will come together for an unprecedented group show. Featured here are contributions by Troy Lovegates, So Youn Lee, Keita Morimoto, Scott Listfield, Mark Dean Veca (Vol. 23), Dalek aka James Marshall (Vol. 15), Brett Amory (Vol. 20), Ryan Hewett, Kwon Kyung-yup (Vol. 24), Henrik Aa. Uldalen (Vol. 24 cover artist) and Sarah Joncas.