Annaka Christensen: capstone

Abstract

The artist's statement: Throughout my journey in becoming an artist I have found myself entangled with, and thriving in, LGBTQIA+ and mental health communities. Growing up in the cities around Denver, Colorado I have developed a deep understanding and interest in nature that is ever present in my artmaking practice. When I create work that combines these aspects of my identity and my surroundings, I find myself drawn to mixed materials, and the different ways they can coexist within and around each other. I find myself exploring how different materials can affect each other and I like to push the expected boundaries of what a material can do. I plan to pursue my RN degree after earning my BFA and I believe that is connected to my focus on promoting self-identity, mental health awareness, and ideas related to anatomy in my creative practice. Throughout my time in undergrad, I have found myself focusing on 3D artworks that are both abstract and anatomical. The ideas of discomfort, disgust, and dysphoria come up a lot in my artwork, and this is both a way for me to connect with others going through the same experience, while also showcasing to those outside of my communities the hardships that people like me face. Within my capstone exhibition, Natural Imposter, one can see the evidence of the identities discussed above. This show is the culmination of all I have learned both technically in art, and about myself throughout my time at CSU. I have distilled my practice down to the idea of processing my own traumas and identities with art. There is not a set meaning for my works that everyone needs to see and understand, they mean something to me, but I want them to be a starting point for others to approach their own experiences and emotions. Life is not just one person's experience, there is a connection, a living breathing essence that flows through all of us, and art is one of the most universal ways to show this. Breathe in, breathe out, and open yourself to other perspectives.