Rachel Kaiser: Portal
Portal
April 17 - 30, 2022
Reception: Saturday, April 23, 6 p.m.
“My work features swirling planetary forms, deconstructing into nonrepresentational dreamscapes as the works progress. Overwhelming, organic masses twist into themselves, dissolving into cosmic clouds. The movement of these pieces can range from inspiring anxiety to invoking a calm delve into the small worlds I've created. These morphing forms mirror the complex relationship I've had with myself, both during and after leaving abuse.
The burden of navigating young adulthood while being manipulated by another person led me to extreme feelings of isolation and hopelessness. This period of life was punctuated by fear from all angles as I desperately wanted something more, but was also terrified to leave. At times I felt my true self had slipped into the endless cavern of my mind -- as I grasped for shreds of truth in my relationship, I would succumb to what I'd been led to believe, rather than the reality that I never deserved to be made to feel so small. The moment I realized I could finally escape, it was like stepping through a portal into another dimension, one that I'd feared for too long.
The complexity of abusive relationships isn't a simply captured image, rather it is subjective to each survivor. In this body of work, I take the viewer on my unique meditative journey to the worlds I dreamed of to escape hardship, each isolated yet promising. While each piece can be a rumination of suffering, there is always a glimpse into the other side, the unknown. The gates are open and an uncertain, hopeful dimension awaits, promising the future.
Through this body of work, I aspire to create a meditative space to ponder and deconstruct these issues. Art is a powerful vehicle to spark discussions and even healing from these difficult topics, and I make this offering of my own experience in hopes to communicate with those enduring similar struggles.”
About Rachel Kaiser
Rachel Kaiser is a senior BFA student and visual artist based in Chapin, SC. Inspired by psychedelia, visionary, and astronomical art, she creates swirling masses of ink and watercolor, with a particular interest in the cosmos. Rachel has a background in henna body art and fantasy portraiture, which has also heavily influenced her current work. Now, she creates in hopes to communicate with others about complex journeys through life and mental health. She also explores this act as a meditative exercise to process these issues and hopes to share this experience through her body of work.
