Karen Black

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Through layers of paint in varying translucency, Karen Black explores not only the physical nature of the female form but through her use of abstraction and considered use of colour she brings out another dimension – an emotional layer.

There is a strong sense of a spontaneous response in her paintings so you may be surprised to hear that reading and research play as much a role in her process as creating those drips and brushstrokes.

Karen talks with me in this episode about her fascination with recent research on frequencies and vibrations which occur in all matter. That interest informs her most recent body of work which will be on view in her upcoming solo show ‘alternative frequency’ at Ames Yavuz in Sydney.

Karen has been acclaimed with awards and residencies and her work is in the collections of many public institutions. She has been repeatedly shortlisted in the Archibald and Sulman prizes, among many others, and has work hanging in both those prize exhibitions in the Art Gallery of NSW this year. She has also been recognised for her ceramic work, two of which have been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria.

In this podcast episode Karen talks with me about her childhood memories of art, how she came to painting, the story behind her current show and some interesting aspects of her process.