Biography
Vanessa Kocking creates intricate microcosms, contained worlds in which discernible realities merge with abstract fantasy. At once expansive and highly detailed, her meticulous paintings combine the practice of painting with digital art, creating a particular visual style defined by energy and complexity.
In Kocking’s work, explosions of color at times seemingly yield and engulf landscapes, multidimensional worlds populated by geometric patterns and shapes. Recalling industrial and urban elements, the canvases readily resemble a blueprint, albeit one that depicts an imagined metropolis. Soft hues and bright splashes of color imbue the paintings with intensity and spirit, creating tension and depth in their contrasting tonalities. A sense of almost rhythmic order lies beneath the delicate lines and emboldened brushstrokes that together, forge the invented environments.
Kocking’s paintings bring to life an alternate reality, one that exists on the palpable brink of imagination and materiality. The essence of the artist’s work is borne of her memories and seeks to translate the emotional consciousness of her experiences. In her own words, the paintings are, “a place I can build silent cities, landscapes and characters, emerging from nostalgia, experience, fantasy and an eternal existential pursuit.”