Tricia Butski (b. 1990)

Reactions exhibition labels for adults and youths:

William Shakespeare once said, “We know what we are, but not what we may be. 

Gazing upon this dynamic portraiture, one concurs that there is a feeling of isolation, silence, even struggle. Tricia Butski illustrates issues relating to memory and how it changes. The artist utilizes charcoal and blurred lines to emphasize the fading and distortion of transformation and its fragility.

One can argue that memory is linked to identity. If one changes, then the other is bound to follow suit.  A person’s identity morphs throughout their lifetime. This can be an isolating time in life because it is an internal change confined to oneself. What emotions does this drawing stir in you?

Hey Kids:

The artist of this drawing wanted to convey sadness and loneliness. She used heavy layers of charcoal to create a very dense, dark image. Why do you think she did this? Get a pencil and paper. Draw what you think loneliness looks like. Does it look anything like this? Everyone has a different idea of what this emotion looks like. Some people express their feelings through artwork, others write them down using words. When you feel sad, lonely, or joyous, how do you express different feelings?

Labels by Alexandra Dwyer, 2021