JOE KORZEN

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I am a self-taught Denver, CO based painter whose work is rooted in psychological, philosophical, spiritual, and cultural frameworks.

My studio practice is one of study and rehearsal, painting in short bursts with periods of review and reflection in between. I generally view my painting practice in a similar fashion to music and songwriting; in which the finished canvas is both a record of an improvised performance, and also a record of an idea that has been rehearsed. I lay down the basic track and then add overdubs; trying new things and reworking sections in an attempt to form a cohesive visual record of an exploration of ideas.

I work primarily with acrylics and charcoal/chalk on canvas because the properties of these mediums work well with my studio practice. I am colorblind (protanomaly), and typically work with a limited color palette, preferring to focus on the balance between values rather than the colors themselves. My use of color is based heavily in theory, and I tend to favor bold hues in most of my work.  My technique is influenced by my understanding of mechanics and flow, and my work often includes schematic themes and calculated gestural movements. The textures of my work vary, from heavy impasto application to thinned acrylics that act as dyes. I generally favor palette knives whenever possible, but regularly use brushes, and occasionally make use of various engineering and woodworking tools in my work.

Exploring subjects such as dualism, religion, animism, illness, memory, and collective consciousness; I view my paintings as abstract comparisons between seemingly disconnected ideas. Rather than attempting to depict conclusions, I attempt to create work that functions as an open investigation of my search for points of connection and contradiction. It is typical for the subjects of my work to be reoriented throughout my process, often resulting with the main subject of my work at the start of the process transitioning into a foot note in the finished piece.

My work currently includes an on-going series titled “Young Soul Old Soul” which explores the parallels and tensions between Jungian Psychology and Animism through a mostly ancient Slavic paganism lens. Works in this series draw connections between Jung’s theory of mapping the unconscious mind and animistic ideas of an interconnected existence in which all things possess a soul. Other works contemplate the relationship between the ancient Slavs’ beliefs of god/goddess/ancestral protection and Jung’s theory on the psychological trap of anima/animus worship and the divine externalization of non-integrated parts of the psyche.

Through flow, narrative and gesture, I work to create a visual representation of a place where chaos and order coexist in a way that is integrated and whole, but at a breaking point: a place that is raw yet meditative, unified yet fragmented, and most importantly sincere yet absurd. I tend to view myself as a portrait painter who paints images of my investigations into the internal landscapes of people, places, things, and ideas. I aspire to create art that offers both escape and recognition; something that is both immersive and reflective. Ultimately I aim to create work that evokes both aesthetic empathy and resonance, and something that makes someone feel more understood and less alone.