Joe Klaus
My work explores the parallels of memory and identity, and the feeling of exuberance or lack thereof. It's the fine line of what we remember and imagine. It's the physical experiences, thoughts, or feelings, and how they are connected that become reality. These can be expressions from a memory I’ve never had, or one that is all too real, and I strive to further discover and understand the physical world from the inside out (or sometimes outside in).
When I'm looking to sit and think and explore, that's when my works on canvas or paper come to life; They are moments frozen in permanence, starting as oil paintings or photographs (or both) that become altered with acrylic paint, spray paint, markers, fabric, and whatever feels right. Subject matter shifts from personas to landscapes, abstract to more tangible, often including characters that stare blankly at the viewer, who stare blankly back at the piece. When I hyperfocus I tend to make zines; these are micro obsessions I want to work out and become tangible which makes this media a perfect fit. The subject matter here varies from thematic thoughts to curated chaos and some things in between.
Whether the media, I enjoy the process of creating, from picking the weight of the canvas to stapling a zine to gesso and beyond. It’s the limitations of mediums that I believe lead to more interesting expression and exploration.
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