ARTIST STATEMENT
Biology and art have always fascinated me. As a child, I learned that the cell is the smallest unit making up life around us. Each cell relates to other cells through layers, connections, and movements. While biology might seem hard to comprehend, everything operates in harmony. Similarly, art might seem mysterious, yet a closer look reveals the creativity of the human mind.
Given my interest, I decided to pursue studies in biology. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in 2007. I enjoyed learning about the intricacy of cellular and neural structure, and networks. Nonetheless, many years later, my passion for art led me to join art school in 2018.
I now create abstract paintings inspired by the unseen world of biology. I aim to capture the hidden chaos in delicate details to communicate my vision of the real world through biology. My paintings take the form of imagined abstraction of new biospheres that reflect the complexity and connectivity of our lives. The artworks integrate dots, lines, shapes, and vibrant colors into a great complex harmony.
Finally, my artwork allows the spectator to delve into the microscopic world of juxtapositions represented by flat and illusionistic elements. The visual stimulation then triggers the viewer’s curiosity and imagination. Some paintings are coupled with three-dimensional representations to bring the sensory experience of the two-dimensional artwork to life.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Nadia Alkhun is a Milwaukee-based interdisciplinary artist. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art with a concentration in Painting and Drawing, Summa Cum Laude, from the Peck School of the Arts, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, in 2022. Alkhun grew up in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2007.
Alkhun exhibited in several national, regional, juried, and invitational exhibitions, including the Crossing Over, SYNERGY, and HERE to STAY exhibitions at UW-Milwaukee. Her artwork was also featured in several publications, mostly medical journals including Generations, Neurology, and The Permanente Journal. Furthermore, she received UW-Milwaukee scholarships, including Elsa Ulbricht Scholarship, The Greater Milwaukee Foundation Dorothy G. and Ruth M. Smith Fund Scholarship and Frederick R. Layton Scholarship.
Alkhun’s artworks are influenced by biology and neuroscience, taking the form of imagined abstraction of new biospheres that reflect the complexity and connectivity of our lives. In her paintings, Alkhun captures the unseen, chaotic, and ambiguous details, which would allow the viewer to experience the freedom of imagination.
© Nadia Alkhun