POST 9- draft Artist Statement- Ai’jhana Cutler

Artist Statement

Connection for me is something I value and continue to curate throughout the years, because of that it carries throughout my work. Creating brings me feeling, as my goal is to use the audience’s reaction and emotions as a bridge to connect them to me and my art. While my subject matter may vary, depictions of the human figure is a common occurrence. I use multiple mediums like paint, graphite, charcoal, ceramics, however I tend to lean more towards oil painting. The slow nature and process while using it allows me to take in that moment. Seeing painting as a way to capture time, making my mark as I go literally and figuratively.

I’ve always had certain elements infused that could be called back to any symbolism that relates to the narrative of that specific work. Moving forward I chose to lean towards that iconography aspect—in a way that would make others stop and think, creating their own perspective. As I develop my future BFA show, I plan to explore gender power dynamics in a conceptual way that would put the audience through my lens. Using saturated colors and transforming it into an eerie composition, my approach would be described as an anatomical play on patriarchal ties.

Artist Bio

            Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey Ai’jhana Cutler is a visual artist who’s currently attending NJCU with a BFA in painting/drawing. Growing up with a creative African American family, her interests and hobbies were encouraged until she decided to pursue her artistry on a professional level. Her first introduction to oil painting being portraiture, she still carries the human figure throughout her work. Commonly implementing the black figure as a form of visibility and celebration, hoping to inspire younger generations to take up space and create.