ARTIST STATEMENT
I am inspired by the mundane moments in life…those occasions when nothing significant seems to be happening. There is beauty in simplicity, in the little things that move us through the days; the physical work, the routines, the interactions we have with others.
I like to paint places, the people in those places, and the objects they interact with. I often think about how an object can have meaning and significance completely unrelated to its practical purpose; how it can capture and contain the essence of an individual, a time, and a place.
The pandemic gave me a lot of down time. Like everyone else, I was home most days, and in between observing my daughter’s remote classroom activities, I watched the news. I was inundated with fear and death and uncertainty. I spent a lot of time thinking and observing, and it was during that time period, mid 2020, that I began working on a series called What We Choose to Believe. The diptych What Does the Fox Say is one part of that series. Thinking about Fox News, and other media, that perpetuate the rejection of science and promote conspiracy theories, I was overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all. What would the fox say next and who would choose to believe it?
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kim Basile is a painter whose work combines realism, landscape and abstraction. A native of Arkansas, Kim currently lives and works in Chicago, but often travels back home to complete her pieces. Working primarily in oil and acrylic, she incorporates found objects, collage, photo transfers, welding, and marksmanship into her work.
Kim earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois Chicago. Her studio is located at Mana Contemporary, Chicago.
© Kim Basile