Ashley Krieger

Looking Past the Past

I am creating work that explores the duality of identity through the lens of land-born American and Greek descendancy. My work focuses on familial estrangement and disconnection. It is a common experience in these times, and my own experience with it has reoriented not only the way I approach family, but also the way I experience the societal sphere. At a young age, I became estranged from my eldest sibling. It has been nine long and hard years. Memory is not constant, but in fact a changing thing. My brain has altered certain memories to the point where he does not live in them anymore. The disconnection between us has been a point of inspiration for most of my work. I have grown to accept this loss, but sharing my experience about estrangement should encourage others to come forward about their sense of disconnection and loss.

I use chromatic abstraction, multi-planar perspectives, and ambiguous forms to convey the relationship between external and internal worlds. Model houses serve as theatrical stages for unresolved family conflict, while amorphous sculptures made from plaster, foam, and paint, become a cast of characters that encroach on and surround them. These characters are the demons and aberrations of familial unease that creep onto the shaky scenario. The tension between the abstract and representational forms is a metaphor for the discomfort and unease in a difficult family situation. Looking Past the Past is confronting familial estrangement. The wonky face lingering in the background symbolizes the memory of my estranged brother. He is never there, but the memory of him lingers. Estrangement is a death with no closure.

I would describe myself as a painter, but I play with different mediums to make a painting. For every painting, I create a set of sculptures and then paint from life. I also play on photoshop to change the composition or color of the objects that I am working with. Contemporary painting goes far beyond just paint. I am grateful to have the resources to expand my practice through sculpture and digital work.