We’ve asked FWMoA staff the hardest question you can ask art museum people: so, what is your favorite artwork currently on display? As “art museum people”, we often get asked about our favorite artists, artworks, and the art we choose to hang on our own walls. Since not all of our staff are front-end, and not all of them write for the blog, this series gives everyone a chance to get to know them, too. Taking advantage of our rotating exhibitions of artworks, from painted portraits to sculpted bronzes, FWMoA staff from all departments are choosing artworks that enthrall and enchant them; or, in other words, playing favorites.
Meet our Education Intern, Chrystel Lopez! She just started (like, literally, a couple of days ago) so she went to acquaint herself with the art currently on display. We asked her for her favorite and she chose Katja Oxman’s self-portrait, now on display in Beyond Face-Value: Portraits from the Permanent Collection.
Q: What is the first thing you noticed about this artwork? What drew you to this particular piece?
A: I was first drawn in by the size and the stark black-and-white contrast print. I immediately recognized this as form of relief printmaking, but it wasn’t until I stepped closer to the piece that I realized it was a woodcut print based on the swirling patterns of the tree rings.
Q: Would you hang this artwork in your home? Why or why not?
A: Definitely. Whenever I’m purchasing art for my space, I’m looking for something filled with unique little details I can discover over and over again. The woodcut printmaking process adds an element of nature, texture, and pattern to Katja Oxman’s self-portrait that is distinct from a distance, while the collage-like setting and detail– from the hidden faces to the bowl of food– beg the viewer to take a long, close look at her reflection.
Q: What does this artwork mean to you?
A: It feels relatable. The setting is dark and familiar, yet comfortable, like my own bedroom at night. The framing and composition almost makes it seem like I’m looking at a mirror image of myself. The details in the rim of the bowl, the artist’s hand, and the folds of her shirt show how Oxman took time to study her subject. In a form of self love, she gives herself the time and space to see herself for who she truly is as an artist.
Katja Oxman’s Eventually to Embrace, also on exhibit, is a great companion piece to her woodcut print. It’s a different kind of self portrait, one that features her personal trinkets and favorite artists. These treasures speak to who Oxman is as much as her reflection does. I see this as a reminder for an artist to find inspiration within themselves.
Q: Why did you choose to apply to intern at an art museum?
A: I’ve always felt at home in art museums, and wanted to make my passions a part of my future career.
Q: What kind of art do you have in your home?
A: I buy a lot of secondhand, handmade art, or small pieces from local artists. I recently scored a huge Picasso Guernica print that is my current pride and joy 🙂
Catch Chrystel’s favorite work on display through the end of January.
What a beautiful commentary; Bravo ! I’ve had the pleasure and honor to be moved by & to follow Katja’s etchings/ her singular voice, for decades. Thank you for supporting her!
Thank you! Katja Oxman is one of several artists whose archives we hold, and we take every opportunity we can to put her works on display.