Saw Man (left), Kree Arvanitas, Bodypaint; John Cornicello Photography;
10 Jihadi Dolphins (right, detail) Mixed Media on handmade paper, 22" x 30
BP Goddess of Oil, acrylic mixed media on canvas 22” X 28” (left);
Steampunk Automaton (right), Kree Arvanitas, Bodypaint; Spyridon Kakouris/SpirosK Photography
View previous exhibition here.
BONFIRE Gallery presents:
SPIRIT COMPASS – Navigating the Maelstrom
By Kree Arvanitas
July 26 – September 9, 2023
Opening Reception: July 26, 2023, 6-8PM
Open First Thursdays, August 3rd & September 7th, 6-8PM
Gallery Hours: Friday through Saturday Noon – 5PM and by appointment 206.790.1073
Greedy gods, sacrificial dolphins, messages from the ancestors - step into a realm where time has no meaning, ecodystopia looms, and whimsy is a weapon of resistance. Body, canvas, image are the mystical trappings Kree Arvanitas engages to explore our uncanny common experiences. Art is the Spirit Compass binding past and future, as she paints her own mythology.
Kree Arvanitas creates stories reflecting the maelstrom of our daily lives , the fragility and strength of our planet and our innate desires to live, struggle, share, love. Whether on canvas or the topography of a human body, Kree juxtaposes a bricolage of objects of purpose, working in many styles, cultural references and historical periods -- engaging symbols, anachronisms and humorous cues revealing our common humanity. Each work is a Spirit Compass navigating an uncertain future rooted in the issues of our time.
“Whether painting on human bodies, canvas or fabric, my goal is to portray the courage of transformation. My hope is that the viewer will share some of the elation I feel when under the spell of a provocative creative process.” - Kree Arvanitas