Julia Kokernak

Julia Kokernak is a 22-year-old artist based in New York City. She received her BFA in 2018 from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Inspired to create by 80’s interiors, space age architecture and the paper cut-outs of Henri Matisse. Julia makes visceral images that feel personal, yet disposable. Growing up in rural New Hampshire, but now living in a big city, she often documents false moments of the natural world within her urban environment. She spends her time working on editorial and commercial endeavors while pursuing her own projects.

Lost In Communication

In this body of work I am depicting a collision of my own fears and triumphs associated with growing emotional dependency. I am creating pictures that feel personal, yet disposable. My images are about form and color creating an intentional ambience, triggering a visceral response. Using different characters and scenes to convey moments of reflection, I want my viewers to see their own projected narratives in my work. I make these images as though I’m piecing together memories, to make sense of something greater.

Playing off the Americanized, false idea of paradise, I am conveying a sense of tension through a detached yet intimate view. Ladders cover the expanse of an elevated landscape, signifying every obstacle that exists, and the ones to follow. Ignorance, or rather, disregard of the beauty around you. Looking for something that doesn’t exist, something that can’t be filled by an object or another person.

To view more of Julia Kokernak’s work please visit her website.