ARTIST STATEMENT
Katherine Nemanich’s conceptual framework evolved from her ongoing exploration of setting the hand painted abstract expressionist brush mark, or pen and ink calligraphy mark, free in space. Nemanich explores when can a line, a brushstroke, a mark become a shape, a 3D form? How can such a mark be constructed to become a form? In Nemanich’s paper constructions, marks become sculpted into rounded, suspended, and open painted forms. Some are monumental, 10 feet in height, suspending from ceiling to floor. Now, with new materials of acetate and wire, Nemanich’s method allows an even more spatial dimension with layering and transparency to float the painted marks literally in space.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Chicago artist Katherine Nemanich uses marks driven by her longstanding work with calligraphy and by her lifelong study and love of music. As a harpsichordist and pianist, music is integral to her life and to her art. She listens keenly to many kinds of music, especially jazz and classical, and keeps a notebook of particular works, songs, or passages that she finds especially conducive to translating into visual marks. The phrasing, gestures, rhythm, and emotional feeling in the music are the source for many of her gestural ink marks. Visuals of hand drawn musical scores, with the energy of the notations and markings depicting the energy of the music also inspire her painted ink markings.
Katherine Nemanich, an alumnus of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago, College of Architecture and Art, has exhibited in Chicago and Midwestern area solo and group shows including Rockford Art Museum Biennial 2022-2023, Hyde Park Art Center, Bridgeport Art Center, Governors State University, ARC Gallery, Riverside Art Center, Woman Made Gallery, Hairpin Arts Center, Beverly Arts Center, Koehnline Museum, and Noyes Cultural Arts Center.
© Katherine Nemanich