Street Pressure Art “juliakitokirtley.com”

http://www.juliakitokirtley.com/

Born in Compton California , Kito currently lives in Brooklyn New York . A Graduate of Pratt Institute with a BA in Interior design, she is inspired by New York ‘s urban environment as well as the New York Underground Dance culture. Her three dimensional exhibitions examine the relationship between art being brought to life in the dancers movement
Artist Statement
I am a cross-disciplinary visual artist and live performance producer inspired by New York City’s underground dance music culture and the environments that incubate them. I compose abstract “cityscapes” and personify them in two and three-dimensional form using dancers, models, canvases, still and moving images. While most of my paintings portray urban cityscapes, some works examine manifestations of the culture and represent sound or movement. Specifically, I employ visual arts materials to illustrate the sound of music and the emotional experience of dancing. The paintings represent the city’s architectural environment, The dancers/ models and djs represent the kinetic energy inside the painting The music is crucial in creating the kinetic energy.

While listening to music, I create paintings using acrylic paint, fabric paint, glitter, and other found objects to produce a muti textural environment.. The dancers that I recruit for the live performances are encouraged to present a more organic style of movement while wearing clothing that I paint on as an extension of the artwork on the canvas. Influenced by my tenure working in the fashion industry, I have taken the traditional runway show format and remixed it. Combining my skills as an artist, stylist and designer with my knowledge of Post- Disco and Hip-Hop musical and dance styles, my installations come alive in a state of organized chaos.

My influences are two fold in that they include fine art and dance. While studying Interior design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn New York, I discovered that my painting class rekindled a childhood passion. My first influence was my mother whose oil base and watercolor landscapes were exceptional. While researching residential and commercial spaces I learned about various artist and a great deal of them have influenced me I paint on the floor and listen to music. My influences include Romare Bearden, Paul Klee, John Michel Basquiat, Gustav Klimt, Jackson Pollock, Mondrian and Ernie Barns. Others such as ,Eva Zeisel Frank Lloyd Wright, have provided stimulation as well. Current artist that have influenced me are New York based Franks Deceus and Miami’s Gregory Hermon. Dance influences are Cats, Alvin Ailey, Fred Astaire Soul Train, B Boying, The Wiz, and currently the Underground Dance Culture in New York, Canada and France. Inspiration also comes from working on stage productions with Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and in productions at The Billie Holiday and National Black Theaters.

My work has been exhibited in New York City,Paris ,France and Montreal ,Canada.

Underground Dance Music is a termed coined by musicologist, historian and DJ, Kai Fikentschner in his seminal book about this culture, You Better Work: Underground Dance Music in New York City.