Artist statement: Lauren Kussro May 2011 space #73

Artist statement: Lauren Kussro May 2011 space #73

A Joyous Outpouring

The pursuit of beauty, and bringing it into the sphere of the viewer
is one of my most imperative roles as an artist. I believe that the
contemporary art world has lost a sense of the importance of beauty
and it’s enriching and nurturing influence on the human soul. Thomas
Moore in Care of the Soul, states it very well here: "If we are going to
care for the soul, and if we know that the soul is nurtured by beauty,
then we will have to understand beauty more deeply and give it a more
prominent place in life. “ Regrettably, beauty has become a somewhat
taboo subject in the art world in recent years. Discord, dark emotions,
desecration, and violence have become more prevalent in contemporary
art, all in the name of artistic expression. Beauty is often seen as trite,
sentimental, and saccharine.

In this show, I want to create an environment that places the viewer
in an arena where beauty is relevant and acceptable and is used as
a vehicle for evoking essential emotions such as joy, hope, delight,
excitement, happiness, and yearning. I continue to explore the use of
paper, printmaking, drawing, sewing, sculpting, light, texture, pattern…
utilizing all of these materials and techniques to create objects that are a
joyous outpouring, a leap towards truth.

“Wherever beauty lies in wait for us, the desire to pre-empt its appeal
can intervene, ensuring that its still small voice will not be heard behind
the scenes of desecration. For beauty makes a claim on us: it is a call to
renounce our narcissism and look with reverence on the world.” Roger
Scruton, The Flight From Beauty

May we allow beauty to claim us, and may we never stifle the still small voice.