Stepping into the serene space of PACE Gallery, you can immediately feel Kylie’s presence engulf the space in a wash of emotions as you linger with her works. In my 30 seconds waiting at the glass entrance, I came face to face with the image of a mother and daughter. The mother leaning on the daughter, the daughter stone-faced and weary, yet regal. As I considered the relationship between these two figures, the door was swung open by the wonderful and always welcoming Adeline Drechou, Associate Director of the gallery, and I was ushered in.
Suddenly, no longer separated by the reflection of a window pane, the gaze of these figures took on entirely new meanings. The daughter now more ambiguous, the mother less identifiable – what defined these figures was the intimate trust and care shared between them.
Kylie, wonderful to meet you and welcome to Geneva! Can you describe your journey as an artist in three words?
Home, back, again. For me personally, art is something I grew up with and could just enjoy. My parents were art teachers, so I grew up with a relationship to art. My goal was and is to share this genuine love for art, and create work in a way that can be meaningfully engaged by anyone. I want everyone to feel a sense of belonging and that they can connect with the work just as deeply as anyone else; that is a big part of how I paint.
I’m from Alaska, which in some ways is very similar to Switzerland in the sense that there’s a devotion to nature and its sacredness. While my paintings are largely figurative, you always sense that there is a vast, massive landscape surrounding the figures. I grew up absorbed by extraordinary landscapes and that’s when I felt most whole; when I was consumed by the atmosphere around me. That vastness and power of the surroundings is something I hope people feel when they look at my work. Each piece transports you to a different environment; some more airy, others more humid; you feel the speed of the wind and the thickness of the air. Someone might not have the vocabulary for it, but they will feel it.
When I walked in I immediately saw the image of “mother and child”; their relationship isn’t overt, but that’s what I projected onto it in a matter of seconds. I assume this ambiguity was intentional?
If I can convey a palpable atmosphere and energy, it might take you to a moment where you shared a similar feeling. That is when my pieces are most successful; when they can transport you to your memories, an image of mother and child, a nurturing moment. A lot of people apply different genders to the pieces; though I refrain from rendering too many details in the faces, gender is subconsciously perceived in their postures...
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