About
Press
Artist Statement
Ariane` Kamps finds a deep sense of fulfillment in figurative pop surrealism. Her most recent works are centered around the interplay between foundational cultural myths and modernity. Humanity’s interaction with modern technology is seen through the lens of primeval archetypes.
The forced introspection that accompanied the first months of the pandemic, leaden as they were with fear and compulsory isolation, created an a wholly new landscape with which to grapple. To process the fears and anxieties of the post-pandemic world into a more digestible format, Kamps’ work interprets them through the lenses of archetype, myth, and dreaming.
While her pieces first come into being digitally, as an elaboration of an idea or image, her work also incorporates the surrealist spirit with an element of automatic painting. The digital reference allows Kamps to play freely with colour and composition, but the true magic lies in the artist’s role as conduit: the message and meaning surface as she paints the final rendering in oil. The themes Kamps explores are as present in her method as they are in the finished works.
Reconciling the traditionalism implicit in humanity with society’s precipitous adoption of new technologies, Kamps’ pieces juxtapose the traditional and the modern with the real and the surreal, both in technique and in subject matter. Complex moments are captured with a sense of instancy. Traditional portraiture is spiked with neon.
All the while, the exploration of technology’s implications for humanity are infused with doubt. Man embodies the archetype of the Alchemist, not unlike Dr. Frankenstein. We think of ourselves as being primarily righteous in our embrace of new technologies and our willing immersion in them. We feed our desire to create, and to make gods of ourselves. But in our naïveté, we are blind to the implications of our actions. Glowing digital elements in Kamps’ work can be seen as our modern, neutered element of fire, bearing the very same creative and destructive force within it.
The story of Eve in the Garden of Eden pervades Kamps’ pieces, a lens through which we can pull back and take a macrocosmic view. The duality of human nature is brought into focus: how guileless and childlike we can be, easily pulled into anything that seems attractive without too much consideration, when all the while we strive for godhood. In the Garden, age is not measured by the passage of time, but in terms of the things we learn along the way.
The concept of the lucid dream is another frame within which Kamps analyses her experiences from a place of safety. In lucid dreams, the dreamer becomes aware of the dream, gains agency, and can escape the pressure to play the role as it was dealt. By taking hold of the dream, be it a sweet dream or a nightmare, we can bend it to our will, and reshape the narrative in a way that we find more acceptable.
Kamps’ introspective pieces are an uncensored expression of deep fears, soaring joys, and gnawing anxieties. They rail against the most enraging aspects of our society, while celebrating the most tender. In a world where we are so careful to censor our words, both written and spoken, Kamps takes to the canvas to speak her mind unfettered.
With such evocative themes in her repertoire, it is no wonder Kamps’ piece, Clover & Vox Dei in Cyberia has been selected for inclusion by The Lunar Codex, a project that will be the first in history to put the works of female artists on the moon. ‘Clover’ is Kamps’ contribution to Era Contemporary’s The New Pre-Raphaelites: Illumination 2021 exhibition. Vox Dei in Cyberia was chosen to be apart of Poets Artists group show ‘Reinterpreting Masterworks’ curated by Judith Peck. Once digitally catalogued, it will be sent to the moon in 1 of the 3 time capsules bearing works from 12,000 contemporary artists from 89 countries.
Clover along with Vox Dei in Cyberia will accompany the Polaris Mission to the Lunar South Pole in the fall of 2023.
Clover, a watercolor piece to be included in Polaris Mission to the Lunar South Pole in the fall of 2023. Picked by juror Kerry Dunn as part to Era Contemporary’s The New Pre-Raphaelites: Illumination 2021-2022 exhibition
‘Vox Dei in Cyberia’
Apart of “Reinterpreting Masterworks” group show, with 33 Contemporary and PoetsArtists. This work will also be apart of the Lunar Codex. This painting was also featured in American Art Collector Jan 2023.
Bio
Ariane` was involved in the arts since early childhood. Aside from her early dinosaur and mermaid crayon renderings, she was also involved with performing arts in Vancouver, BC. Early on it was creating imaginary worlds and the people in them that fascinated her. She never took a lesson for visual art, but she doodled in all her math books.
After growing up the creative spark returned when she had children of her own who also loved dinosaurs and mermaids. The experience inspired her to begin adding some wonder to the kid’s clothing by painting baby shoes & kids shoes. Needing more room to create on, she turned to portraiture in 2017. Since then she has been painting into the night to create commissioned work, surreal worlds and whatever else her inner child wants to create.
Now her art is going to the moon in a time capsule with The Lunar Codex, which is the most outlandish use of art she’s ever heard of. The work selected for inclusion in the Codex was part of a juried show curated by Kerry Dunn for Era Contemporary Art Gallery, The New Pre-Raphaelites: Illumination 2021-2022 exhibition. She also had the honor of being selected to display work in the Surreal Salon 14 in 2022 curated by Carrie Ann Baade at Baton Rouge Gallery.
‘I Wish I Never Left The Garden’ was included in the Surreal Salon 14, a group show in Baton Rouge Gallery juried by Carrie Ann Baade. 2022
“Vox Dei in Cyberia” was accepted into the Surreal Salon 16, hosted by Baton Rouge Gallery and juried by Beth Cavener, 2024.
Painting in her home studio in the Okanagan for private collections and galleries around the world.
Exhibitions/CV
"Eros", 33 Contemporary Gallery, Upcoming April 2024
Surreal Salon 16, Baton Rouge Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA, USA Jan 2024
Something Wicked, Revolution Gallery- Buffalo, NY, USA October 2023
Titania’s Ball, Era Contemporary- Philadelphia, PA, USA, group show October 2023
Remnanats, MyArtIsReal group show online September 2023
Love Letters, Cactus Gallery, LA, USA. group show September 2023
“AI and Me”, group show with 33 Contemporary, Sept-Oct 2023
“Painting The Figure Now”, jurors David Willson and Kiki Kim. Exhibited at Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau WI, September 2023
International Biennial Portrait Competition, Juror Aaron Sidorenko, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau WI, Jan 2023
“Beyond Original” Group show with Modern Eden, June 2023
Mentioned in American Art Collector May 2023 for Beyond Original
“Mujer 2023” group show with 33 Contemporary, March 2023
“Apocalyptica” Solo show with 33 Contemporary, Feb 2023
Work Featured in American Art Collector Jan 2023 issue 207 “Circle of Light”
33 Contemporary, Chicago “Circle of Light” Jan 2023
Abend Gallery, Denver, CO “32ND ANNUAL HOLIDAY MINIATURES SHOW” group show Dec 2022
Levity Micro Gallery, Nelson, BC “Micro Minis” group show Nov 2022
Penticton Art Council, Penticton, BC “Animal Antics” group show Nov 2022
Mize Gallery, St Petersburg, FL, USA “Deja Vu” group show September 2022
Modern Eden, San Fransico, CA, “Portrait Show X” group show June 11 2022
Poets Artists, online here “Reinterpreting Masterwork” group show 2022
Gristle Art Gallery Brooklyn, NY, USA “Chromascope” group show May 2022
JKR, Provo, UT, USA “All Shapes and Sizes” Group Show March 2022
Gristle Art Gallery Brooklyn, NY, USA “Out To Wash” Group Show 2022
Mize Gallery, St Petersburg, FL, USA “Decades” group show February 2022
JKR, Provo, UT, USA “A New Page” January 2022
Baton Rouge Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA, USA “Surreal Salon 14” January 2022
Gristle Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA “Toy Box” Group Show, December 2021
Era Contemporary, Philadelphia, PA, USA “The New Pre-Raphaelites: Illumination” Group Show, October 2021
Revolution Gallery, Buffalo, NY, USA “Something Wicked” Group Show, October 2021
Cactus Gallery, LA, USA. “All Them Witches” Group Show, September 2021
Hive Gallery, LA, USA. “Healing Honey” Group Show, April 2021
Cactus Gallery, LA, USA. “Happy Sappy Birthday” Group Show, March 2021
Penumbra Gallery, Portugal. “Small Works” group show, March 2021
Displayed a collection of works at Curator Designs, 2020
Displayed “Shimmer of Mermaids” at Karmyc Bazaar, 2020
Trash Lamb Gallery, San Diego, USA. Group Show, December 2020
Curated and displayed in “Fine Memes”, Online Group Show. November 2020
Kelowna Rotary of the Arts, BC Canada "Natural Instincts" Duo exhibit with Stephanie Perry 2020
Penumbra Gallery, Portugal. “Squared” online group show 2020
La Bodega Gallery, San Diego , USA “Mermaid Show” (group) 2019
Karmyc Bazaar, Kelowna Canada "What Resides Beneath the Sea" (group) 2019
Beelong Gallery, Penticton, Canada "Itsy Bitsy" (group) 2019
PDCAC, Penticton, Canada "Magic + Mystery" (group) 2019
PDCAC, Penticton, Canada "Long Night's Journey" (group) 2019
St. Germaine Café and Gallery, Penticton, Canada "Distorted Views" (group) 2019.
Coast Collective, Victoria, BC Canada "Portraits" (group) 2019
Calvaria Gallery and Studios, New Jersey USA; "MORSELS" (group) 2019
Calvaria Gallery and Studios, New Jersey USA; "Lore & Myth" (group) 2019
St. Germaine Cafe and Gallery, Penticton, Canada "Postcards" (group) 2018
Penti-Con, Penticton, Canada (group) 2018-2019
The Long Gallery, Penticton, Canada- Artist in Residence, "Black Magic" (group) 2018
St. Germaine Cafe and Gallery, Penticton, Canada "SO BOARD" (group) 2017
St. Germaine Cafe and Gallery, Penticton, Canada "Beasties and Bots" (group) 2017
Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton, Canada Under 500 (group) 2017