Nile Livingston; African American contemporary mixed medium and installation artist; born on June 17th, 1988; residing in Philadelphia, PA. Nile is currently in her senior year at Kutztown University, majoring in sculpture.
I build my art on discovering more about self and trying to understand how we might connect with each other by first becoming aware of what we choose to notice in the world around us. Making art allows me to record events throughout life, share my thoughts, and to depict how I am experiencing and imagining the world. Similar to a public diary entry, each instillation of art work reveals pieces of an ever-changing story of who we are as people. By abstracting media and pop culture concepts, I’m able to make art that one can visually relate to but is theoretically arcane to others. The goal is to challenge each viewer’s own sensitivity and imagination. I’m intrigued by perception and illusions. Fantasy and individual acuities are much more interesting than the absolute reality and truth of life.
Considering that we as humans have the ability to notice certain qualities about things in life is the reason why I focus on studying the ephemeral traits that I judge things by. I believe that when we criticize others we are in fact unconsciously criticizing ourselves. My art is meant to evoke human motives, introspection, mortality, and memory of who we are and what we choose to see.
I use common materials from everyday life and reassemble those familiar objects into obscurity because I’m mostly fascinated by how limitless mixed medium and found object art can be. Most of my paintings and installations are expressionistic, emphasizing the human figure which encourages the viewer to see themselves in the work. The visual ideas and self expressions from artists Egon Schiele, Frida Kahlo and Robert Mapplethorpe have been major influences on my work. The vibrant and diverse colors used throughout my sculptures provide an alternative and diverse way of looking into a mirror of our culture. As the viewer looks the art looks back.
-