621 Gallery Presents
Poor Lydia
an exhibition by Lisa McCarthy
Artist Talk | July 2nd , 2021 at 5:30pm
Exhibition Dates | 07.01.2021 – 07.29.2021
Artist Statement:
I am primarily a painter, however, drawing and sculpture provide approaches to art-making that are essential to the core of my interdisciplinary practice. I produce bodies of work by emotionally and physically engaging through experimentation, while building up many layers of material and concepts. The tactility of the process and my interaction with each piece are the major beginnings for the development of narratives in my work. For this reason, I am never deliberate in my process. I compose as I explore each piece, take risks, and allow chance to guide my composition.
Embracing the unexpected as well as reflecting on stories involving historical information and current events allows me to process my personal experiences. These responses are the foundation of my content. Thematically, I have followed many threads of investigation in my work. Recently though, questions about gender, athleticism, family dynamics, mental state, human resilience and morality play a pronounced role in the development of my conceptual practice. While I may begin a series at a common origin, each piece develops on its own and articulates a unique blending of emotions, experiences and backstories.
No work I make has a singular narrative or intention. Whether it is the freeing series I have begun on the eccentric signifiers of commercial kitchens, or the Poor Lydia series with blunt narratives, I have found that through humor, we can translate the pain, embarrassment and anger of our inner lives in a way that can be discussed in public. I believe when we wre able to laugh at common situations – human resilience, addictions, tragedy, trauma, gender – we can experience a moment of acceptance that will bind us together.
Artist Bio:
Lisa McCarthy is an interdisciplinary artist from the greater Boston area, recieving her BFA in 2018 from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston at Tufts University and an MFA in 2021 from the University of South Florida, Tampa. Her studio practice utilizes the languages of painting, drawing, and performance to fluidly move between styles, materials, and processes. Drawing inspiration from the boldness of the contemporary art landscape, McCarthy uses humor to speak the uncomfortable truth about gender biases in art today. Within her work are challenging conversations about social rituals that affect our identities, both individually and as a culture. Her Poor Lydia series is inspired by what she calls raunchy satire, but it is also a serious discussion about much more complex subjects that have a strong foothold in artistic discourse. Classic concepts such as desire, idealism, self-esteem, critiques of human behavior, and identity politics have all been addressed with a range of approaches, such as with critical comedy or disdain. Her recent exhibitions include Factory Mark Gallery in Framingham, MA, Carolyn M. Wilson Gallery in Tampa, FL, Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN and 621 Gallery in Tallahassee, Florida.