ARTIST STATEMENT
The Conflict Diary examines strife and endurance. How do we disenthrall from forces that divide us? When is connection to others meaningful? How do we address fissures in intimate relationships and broader connections within communities? In the diary’s pages the artist explores disputes within a highly charged political and cultural environment, and reflects on domestic frictions. The gouache illustrations document an array of conflicts and methods of coping. Penciled text captures musings about depicted struggles and salves. Grouped together sequentially, these pages form a narrative, individualized perspective on discord while also encouraging viewers to explore the same questions from their own perspectives. The series began during the COVID pandemic lockdown, and it continues as the virus and polemics ebb and flow.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Heather Klinkhamer paints in a tiny New York City apartment. She earned a BA in philosophy at Bard College and an MS in education at St. John’s University, and is currently pursuing an MA in educational psychology at Hunter College. She studied art at The Art Students League of New York.
© Heather Klinkhamer