Artist

Tess Costil

My process pays homage to the tradition of mixed media. The medium allows me to bring disparate fragments together; create chaotic conceptual collisions and speak through them.

My art speaks of tensions and conflicts but also highlights unexpected harmonies. The bold compositions host feminine portraits which are carefully poised to emit a slightly out of world aesthetic quality. The contradiction between modern photography and 20th century botanical illustrations creates an environment in which the boundaries between fiction and reality are blurred.

Ideas emanate in pieces which display beautiful yet unnerving dreamscapes that delicately reveal that life and people are full of layers. The work doesn’t strive to be confronting or challenging but rather to allure its audience and engage them subtly. My narratives are as much autobiographical as they are a commentary on the fragility of the human condition and our ability to foster deluded realities as a coping mechanism for our chaotic lives. 

Artist Details

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

Highlights

Solo Exhibitions

2019

Fantasy, 12 Gallery, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Fantasy, Pullman Hotel, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

2018

Fantasy, 12 Gallery, Tāhuna Queenstown

2016

Curiosity, 12 Gallery, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Group Exhibitions

2019

Imagine, 12 Gallery, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

2018

Auckland Art Fair, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

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