Interview with Georgia Elrod
May 2021
1. Are your paintings magical ways to see the body?
My paintings are generated from my imagination and subconscious memories, so the way they emerge can feel magical to me sometimes. The works I'm most interested in surprise me. Visualizing the physical, emotional and spiritual systems within and around our bodies, and all of the nuanced intricacies therein is so vast, it requires extrapolation. Trying to understand the way our bodies function in the world goes beyond anatomy and into a poetic space.
2. What are you currently working on?
I'm working on several paintings. I am finishing up a medium sized work about teeth and the interior of a profile face in motion. I'm also about to start a very large painting, almost seven by ten feet.
3. Do you listen to music while working?
I alternate between music and podcasts. I like for music to kind of draw me into a state that brings the imagery forth... like a trance state almost. Music helps me invite the work. When I'm composing I will listen to music. This can be kind of intense so I like to balance it out with podcasts.
4. Which artists (or other people) are you inspired by?
I'm inspired by older artists and also my peers and artist friends. My parents are both painters and their lifetime commitment to their work is inspirational and impressive to me. I get excited by so many contemporary painters and makers in my community. Having studio visits (even virtual ones) really helps my practice, just to see other people working and thinking. I read a lot and find that certain books will prompt paintings- whether it be imagery that comes up or a psychological atmosphere.
5. What is your favourite place to see art, online or offline?
For more traditional mediums like painting and sculpture I definitely prefer to see art in person. I want to see it from across the room and then go right up to it. Objects are so much about presence- surface and color doesn't translate the same way digitally. I enjoy discovering art online through Instagram and then seeing it in person.
6. Are there any ongoing projects or upcoming (online) exhibitions where we can see your work?
I have new works on paper that are launching with Tappan Collective in June 2021. I am also in a group exhibition, TORQUE at Peninsula Art Space in Brooklyn that will be up from May - July. A few paintings will be presented on Zwirner's Platform New York this summer.