Marissa Rubaiai

March 20 – March 24, 2023 | KAC Gallery 101

Reception: Friday, March 24 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM

My artistic concepts are informed by my daily life but speak on the universal experiences of emotion and feelings of disconnection and connection to ourselves and others. Within allows space for vulnerability—the work looks into the ways we guard ourselves, and in turn, offers a place to contemplate what it means to be human.

When creating a new piece I let emotion roam freely from within my soul and then to my artistic hand, letting it evolve naturally through the process. Mark-making, layers, drips, and thick paint are ways to explore themes of absence, loss, relationships, places, and identity. I am intrigued by the way ordinary objects and locations, like a playground or a jacket, can possess emotion and memories. Paintings oscillate between abstraction and realistic rendering; each brushstroke like a dance capturing my movement and energy. At times pieces are bold and clear, others more diffused and dreamlike. The works are an attempt to find a connection between the unseen and seen realities we inhabit.

Using a variety of media, I hope to connect with viewers on a deeper level by allowing them to be less emotionally guarded and to reflect on their own experiences. I believe that vulnerability is a strength; it is the core value in connecting us to one another and the things around us. When we are emotionally unguarded, our true human form comes through externally.

Marissa Rubaiai