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name
Katarina Nissa
media
cast iron, sculpture
education
University of Wisonsin, Milwaukee
BFA Sculpture, Drawing, 2002
Florida State University
MFA Studio Art, 2006
queenofthelittleelves(at)yahoo.com
Metal is the primary material used in my work. It can be cast, welded, drilled, tapped, and finished in countless ways. I have spent many years attempting to master these processes in order to bring a distinctly organic quality to a material that is normally perceived to be cold and mechanical. Through the use of texture I am able to further soften the reflected light, thus evoking a more visceral experience IN the viewer.
Another way in which I strive to counteract the perceived hardness of metal is to create new forms by combing images that exist separately in nature. This subconsciously connects the viewer to my work based on what he/she experiences in the everyday world. By creating figurative forms based upon the biological elements that exist in nature the viewer can relate to my work on a similar plane of existence to their own.
It is the intention of my work to communicate an underlying message of social commentary and inner conflict by utilizing a vocabulary that is as refined in its aesthetic as it is raw in its visual content. The feeling of removal created by this paradoxical juxtaposition draws the viewer into a microcosm of the human psyche, where ugliness and beauty intertwine, and meaning is drawn from the opened windows of one’s own subconscious life experience.