"It was like a part of my soul had returned"
After a car accident took away artist Kate Hollett’s ability to paint she delved into multi-media art and moved to Berlin. Then, 10 years later, her ability to paint returned.
“The accident made it impossible for me to paint making me nauseous every time I tried, says artist Kate Hollett, “I still tried to paint but it always ended up in tears. Then one day, 10 years later, it came back and I could paint, and I could paint like a fucking expert. It was like a part of my soul had returned. My work became precise, realistic yet still framing identity. It was if my mind had been painting and learning in my head all these years. And, my style was drastically different changing from from Abstract, Visual Language to Realism.”
The first thing I saw was the beauty in the Selfie after a trip to Venice.
Somewhere in the various forms of expression, there existed a desire to find fuller expression, possibly crossing one and another… There was a sense of being free and safe to create from grounded acceptance, and knowledge.
“After playing with new-old found talent, I tried to understand the division of styles; delving deep into my memories to create some kind of reconciliation with my expression, my experiences and reality.”
Reconcilliation
Returnng back 'home' to Toronto right before the pandemic, Kate continued to paint, now everything old, was new both inside and in her space. During the pandemic she delved into her past to uncover a new form of connection.
Kate attempts is to shine light on the ways we cope and find beauty in the middle of darkness, and, because of it. Her new work is influenced by her desire to create safe spaces, both real and imaginary.
The idea of the self is in constant flux between realities.
The work is characterized by bright, intense magical realism; eyes look at you and memories float in the background. The Selfie is prominent as a reflection of an image and perceived reality.
“There is a majestic beauty in a selfie, a desire to connect in a way that reflects the best you, a brazen act of vulnerablity and strength.”
The Many Faces of Eva #1
The Many Faces of Eva #2
The Many Faces of Eva #3
"Reality is in our reflection."
"Am I my reflection? I keep going back to Anges Varda’s film Cléo 5-7. In the first part of the film Cléo focuses on her reflection – “How do I look?”. In the second half, after bad news, she starts to ‘look’ at the world as in “How do I see?”
