Kukula & Natalie Shau at Corey Helford

The amazing work of Kukula will be on display at Corey Helford Gallery in her new exhibition, “Lonely Opulent Things”. In conjunction, Natalie Shau will be featured in the loft gallery with her exhibition, “Time Stood Still”.

Opening Reception Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 7-10pm
On View September 24–October 15, 2011

From the press release:

Following the success of her 2009 sold-out exhibition “Immortal Artifacts,” Kukula returns to Corey Helford for her second solo show at the gallery entitled “Lonely Opulent Things.” Featuring twelve new paintings, including Kukula’s largest works to date, and a limited-edition Jacquard tapestry, “Lonely Opulent Things” celebrates the florid ambiance of the French aristocracy. Drawing inspiration from her recent sojourn to the Palace of Versailles, the concept for Kukula’s new show revolves around “the beauty of objects and how we make them parts of ourselves. At the same time, as we collect more and more beautiful things, we end up isolating ourselves behind walls of decadence.”

For the exhibition, Kukula’s process began with a sketch of the painting “Broken Limoges.” A periwinkle blue-haired nymph sits perched on her knees atop a marble floor. Surrounded by exquisite Limoges porcelain objects, the delicate girl becomes an object herself. Infusing her imagery with the fanciful stylings from France’s Rococo period, Kukula examines the idea of detaching from the ugliness of reality in “Lonely Opulent Things.” Elaborate surroundings such as lush floral embellishments, ornate pedestals, and classical cherubs provide the ideal escape from the rest of the world. “Flourishes are often dismissed as ‘mere’ decorations without substance,” Kukula explains “but for me they are the substance that make life bearable.”

The loft gallery will feature “Time Stood Still,” an exhibition of eight new digital paintings by Lithuanian artist Natalie Shau. Her surrealistic portraits achieve a dark elegance, combining elements from human emotions to fashion and fairytales, and her color palette of calming pastels and smoky grays creates an equally dreamy atmosphere. Shau notes “usually all beautiful moments and things in life do not last long, so I try to capture beauty in stillness.”