Artist Statement

My paintings are maps of my inner world where landscapes of naïveté clash with despair and desire. Innocent fascination with plants, animals, the sun, moon, and stars, are entangled with erotic obsession. I feel part of the natural world yet distant from nature in daily life. This disconnect is explored in my work through the blurring of hierarchies between nature, humans, and the cosmos. In addition, I delve into the dynamics between people- of power, loneliness, and longing. As bodies embrace, reach out for, or turn away from each other, I undermine the norms of gender and sexuality, reflecting my own experiences of queerness and love. 

In painting I use acrylic and work quickly- obscuring, scratching, and layering. I also incorporate other mediums such as crayons, colored pencils, and collage to break down the formality of painting and heighten the playful quality of my work. Color is emotionally mixed and applied, translating inner life into vivid greens, blues, and reds. 

Intuition is central to my drawing and printmaking. When making trace monotypes, the pared down black and white prints allow me to channel a stream of consciousness onto the surface in quick marks that are enlivened by the random effects of the technique. Drawings are also made instinctually, using gestural lines and a wide range of materials including graphite, ink, gouache, and enamel.

My early 20’s were spent in bed with depression. When I rejoined life, I explored the world with wonder. Figuring out how to be a person and artist has been a continuous process of revaluation and evolution. It is like painting- endless exploration full of beauty, pain and the unexpected. Today, I embrace the play, storytelling, and freedom that painting allows with joy.

About

Anna Jekel is an artist living in New York City. From Newton, MA, she grew up in a creative household where she was frequently drawing, crafting, taking photographs, and playing dress up. She graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Theatre Production. After graduation, Anna held various positions as a costume designer, but started painting during pandemic lockdown. She has dedicated herself entirely to painting and currently maintains a studio practice in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Recently she completed residencies at the School of Visual Arts and Field Projects Gallery and had a solo exhibition, also at Field Projects Gallery, entitled Untamed/Untold. Her work reflects her struggle with depression and explores gender, sexuality, and love as well as human connection to the natural world.