Cosmic Duality is an exhibition by Cassie Gnehm that presents two large oil and acrylic paintings inspired by the hands of the artist holding her children and The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci. The hands are exaggerated to emphasize their strength and significance, holding the sun and moon, symbolizing the duality of life and death. The figure dissolves into the abstract acrylic background, leaving only the hands that now cradle celestial orbs. Birth inherently reminds us of our mortality, as every new life rekindles the cycle of existence, interwoven with joy and sorrow. Through these works, she explores the profound connections between creation, transformation, and the infinite cosmos, inviting viewers to reflect on the delicate balance of life’s cyclical nature.
Artist Statement:
Gnehm’s colorful/fluorescent collage-inspired paintings draw inspiration from the synthesis of art history, contemporary media, and the female figure. Each painting starts as a digital collage of carefully borrowed fragments from historical paintings of women and popular culture. She then paints those constructions in oil over bright abstract acrylic grounds. Using thin layers of paint, the figures emerge from the chaos of the swirling paint-poured background. As a woman painting women, she takes from paintings traditionally painted by men and deconstructs them into new images. These paintings interweave female forms (past and present) overlaying imagery and texture using traditional and experimental painting techniques.
Artist Biography:
Cassie Gnehm is an artist and educator based out of San Antonio, Texas. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbus College of Art and Design and her Master of Fine Arts from West Virginia University. She also earned a Master in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver. Gnehm was awarded residencies at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts as well as the Vermont Studio Center and is a current resident artist at Clamp Light Studios and Gallery. Her work has been exhibited at Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival, San Antonio, TX; Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX; ICOSA, Austin, TX; San Antonio Art League and Museum, San Antonio, TX; Bowery Gallery, New York, NY; Silver Mine Galleries, New Canaan, CT; Presa House Gallery, San Antonio, TX and many other venues. Gnehm is a high school drawing and painting instructor who has taught internationally as well as at the college level.
Website: www.cassiegnehm.com
Instagram: @cassiegnehm_art