In Conversation: Kelly Boehmer

Artist Statement

My soft sculptures display a tragic sense of humor, finding an absurd beauty in anxieties. The teeth from upcycled taxidermy and gory visceral imagery are symbolic of emotional vulnerability. Glittery sheer fabrics and saturated faux fur “soften the blow,” making anxieties easier to confront. 

Iconic works from art history, such as the Capitoline She-Wolf, the Laocoön Group, Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal, the Arnolfini Portrait, etc., often serve as a starting point for my work. An expressive mark-making is formed from my sewing aggressively by hand. The unrefined stitches of red thread flow throughout the work. After an exhibition, I reuse my materials by cutting up my old sculptures to make new work. This creates a layered history in the materials, similar to pentimenti (the subtle evidence of corrections in a painting, originating from “repentance”).

Biographical Statement

Kelly Boehmer has exhibited and performed her work nationally and internationally including shows in Baltimore, Dallas, Miami, New York City, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, San Juan, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She received her BFA in Studio Art at the Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in Studio Art at the University of South Florida. She is a member of the performance art band, Glitter Chariot. Kelly is a Professor of Foundations Studies at Savannah College of Art and Design, in Savannah, GA. ​