Q&A with Addyson Hoey

Briefly describe your thesis project. What themes are you exploring, and in what mediums/with what materials?
In my thesis work, title here, I wanted to create a conversation between two-dimensional space on a painting and the three-dimensional world, as I capture the digitalized graphic shapes in physical space. My aim was for the viewer to be able to walk around the piece and see the layers and intersections created, as they considered their presence within the piece, the endless graphic quality of shapes we are surrounded by daily. The interplay between two dimensional and three-dimensional surfaces breaks the traditional flat surface of the painting, where actual depth occurs as sculptures break and reinforce the illusion of physical space.

In addition, I want to challenge the narratives and conditions of painting where painting is no longer a static image, but an image that is evolving. The work, Title Here, is supported by hot pink steel. I aimed to draw attention to the overlooked structures that hold the piece together, as well as use a color that feels unnatural to the physical world and relates to the digital space. Furthermore, the use of hot pink on steel, a material typically associated with men, ironically points to the stereotypical associations within femininity and reclaims agency, pointing to the long history of female artists being left out of the abstract painting conversation. Artists such as Charlene von Heyl, Joan Mitchel, Amy Sillman, Linda Benglis, and Lee Krasner — who were often overlooked — are large inspirations in my practice in their use of gesture, color, and mark making. I hope to reference the rich history of female abstract artists where color, mark, and material become content and point back to the history of abstract painting as female.

What do you hope someone feels when they experience your work?
I want the viewer to consider the shape vocabulary that surrounds them daily and consider their behavior as they look on screens or read the space of paintings.

Did you always know this would be your final project? When or how did you figure it out?
Entering the MFA-VA program, I never expected I would find myself working with paint or in sculpture. My interest was rooted in abstraction and the digital space typically in the field of drawing. However, as I began to experiment with shaped panels, I started to consider how planar forms could exist in a three-dimensional space. Through the process of trial and error and learning new fabrication skills, I gradually figured out how to make intersecting planar shapes come together.

How have you evolved as an artist over the years?
I started out as a photographer, initially drawn to the editing process and alternative photographic methods. This led to my practice of drawing, where I started using digital tools, such as Photoshop, to create my work. When I entered this program, I never thought I would leave the two-dimensional space or engage with painting. Yet, today, my practice as a “drawer” has evolved to sculpture and painting, while still incorporating photographic editing methods that continue to shape and inform my work.

Are there any faculty, courses, making spaces, or other WashU resources that have had a big impact on you?
Gregory Cuddihee, Matthew Branham, and Christian Xandersmith have made a big impact on my current practice. Each of them manages a making space and spent countless hours helping me build and learn new digital fabrication programs for my work. My work wouldn’t have happened without their help! In addition, Joe deVera, my graduate mentor, and Tiffany Calvert, my thesis text advisor, greatly impacted my practice as they were very generous with their time, feedback, and conversations surrounding my practice.