The Tapestry Show, artist statement

The Tapestry show, opens September 3rd, 2016 at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco CA.

Artist Statment,

Historically tapestries were made by hand, many times by monks who were glorifying an heroic event, a religious story or mythology. They made mostly to decorate churches or privet Aristocrats domains. They were extremely expensive or even just priceless and very large many of the time, in order; which I believe, to create power over the viewer.As a creator of “things that can go on walls” Tapestries excites me as much if not even more than viewing an original paintings by one of my favorites artists. The experience of being close to a tapestry is not comparable to the one of a painting that you know from a screen or a book. Though its still an amazing experience and nothing I like more than visit my favorite paintings at the Frick collection, Tapestries create a shock. Knowing an image can be created by very long threads on an very large loom. The planning of it itself feels overwhelming.But we are not living in a world powered by churches and aristocrats. Fans of art come in many shaped and sizes. And even if it was possible to create those divine tapestries like the famous Unicorn in Captivity from the cloisters collection in NY, very few people will be able to enjoy them at their own home. I like to enjoy things in my own home. I like having stuff, and I want tapestries too!I call my art “Neo-Rococo” because I borrow a lot from the last period of the French aristocracy as inspiration. As meter of fact, Not only in art but in life. but I give it my own post modern twist. Be gluten, be fancy but don’t be too rich that you can’t sleep at night. We all have the opportunity to taste glamor. We have machines. We don’t have slaves. We can produce replicas inspired by the Roman church and put it in our bedroom without ruing anyone’s life. This is Elitism for all.

-Kukula