ACR Artist Statement 2026

Art is fundamental to how I exist in and navigate the world, and it allows me to bring the world into my work. My studio is everywhere. Portraiture is my favorite artistic tool: a subject-vehicle to use as a way of creating/exploring the human condition/relationships. The use of non-static subjects lends itself to the distortion in my work, through which a still image contains multiple frames. Attuned to the movement of subjects, each piece is a rendering of the cadence of a scene. In my colors, there is mess; there is contamination. I want to be challenged by my work–illuminated, confused, compelled by the artistic process by introducing variables that provoke invention/discovery: intertwining multiple positions of a subject from the same angle, working in low or odd lighting, using vague reflections for self-portraits, etc.

I am not interested in just a static study of form; a part of “capturing someone’s soul” is studying them in motion. An intersubjective relationship forms with my subjects, and art is a naturally-emergent part of that. This reciprocity of presence informs and is articulated in all of my work, emphasizing non-objectification and substance. I often do self-portraits because it’s convenient. I'm always available to myself. But also, it provides an endless mirror (making art of myself, making art of myself).

I am currently working on a new album.

iartalison.com