Spotlight Artist

Kelly Bjork

Pacific Coast
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Emotional Oasis (Domestic Scene)

Three nude women in a tiled room, one braiding another's hair, surrounded by art and flowers.

gouache, watercolor, acrylic, wax pastel, and pencil on paper

Opening

Stylized figures with mirrors, one seated and one lying down, against bold geometric patterns.

gouache, watercolor, acrylic, wax pastel, and pencil on paper

The Dream

Nude woman with tattoos reclines on a red bed, cat and another figure in the background.

gouache, watercolor, acrylic, wax pastel, and pencil on paper

Featured in New American Paintings1 / 3

Artist Statement

Kelly Bjork is a queer artist making queer art in a[nother] time when the LGBTQIA+ community is facing discrimination at the social, physical, and political level. In this way, Bjork positions themself within a lineage of artists who have shared the same focus while in the face of violence. Bjork creates space for viewers to leave the harsh world of now, for a moment, and enter their world to be held and seen. Their work serves as a reminder to both those who struggle to remember—and those who refuse to accept—that queer people aren’t going anywhere; that they will continue to experience joy, tenderness, and love.

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