Talk Story
June 27th - August 2nd 2008
Tangle, 2008, acrylic ink on paper, 12 x 16 inches
If you were a Kris Chau drawing you might be pleasantly plump with dark hair down to your knees. You probably have a frilly dress on and you may find yourself floating in mid-air, a goose, bunny, mouse or cat might live in your long hair. It might talk to you. Perhaps you surf, ride a bike, wear tube socks, or eat a tremendous amount of ice cream. You look cute, but have the air of someone who might have just went through a rough situation or is about to have some minor/major tragedy befall them, you might also remind yourself of a kitten.
When looking at Kris' work you might remember old-timey fashion illustrations, the kind that used to be in magazines or on the packages for dress patterns. The girls she draws, sometimes women, (all of them seem a little ageless) remind you of the girls you always wanted to be (if you are a man, perhaps they remind you of the girl you always wanted to date); the model, the ballerina, the princess, the it girl.
The difference between these icons and Chau's females seems to be a level of self-awareness; Kris Chau's drawings have no idea you are watching them, they don't really think of themselves as "hot", and they may live in an unattainable fairy wonderland.
"Talk Story" a name taken from a phrase in Hawaiian pigeon which means an active conversation between friends or acquaintances (the artist colorfully refers to it as "shootin' the shit"), refers to the artist's background as a native of Hawaii. It is an invitation to an informal conversation in which collaboration and cooperation are highly regarded, and in terms of an art exhibition it invites you to share and expand on the world created by Kris Chau. It is a world you can enter easily and will readily enjoy, the only warning to the viewer being that upon leaving you may find yourself wanting a cupcake and a pair of roller skates.
artist's website www.kirschau.com