BFA Solo Exhibition - Karlie Uphoff - Gallery 3

Exhibition Dates: November 16-19, 2021

"Stay with me. It’s a simple phrase, innocent. While, at the same time, those three little words can cause so much damage. Stay with me… Don’t go… Don’t grow.

In my show, Stay with Me, I take a look into the intricate and complicated interactions of the social world. My artwork explores the long-term damaging effects of harmful, manipulative environments and relationships. In response to a global pandemic which forces us into social distancing for fear of our health, our basic human need for social interaction is being interrupted. Dreading the thought of social isolation, the warning signs of a manipulative relationship are being ignored. As a result, we are becoming more complacent and desperate to maintain our established connections. Growing accustom to these harmful conditions, we may not be aware that our character is warping and diminishing with every passing second.

In my artwork, I use the glass goblet, a very familiar and social object, to represent the best side of a person. This is the part of yourself that you allow everyone to see. The most maintained version of you. Because this version of you is so familiar, it is difficult to change.

Using these perfect, intricate goblets, I place them into a destructive environment weaved together by simple copper wire. It can represent how something that seems so simple, can have a detrimental effect.

While much of Stay with Me is about manipulation and destruction, in the end, there is a chance to heal. When you recognize the obstacle, you can exclusively focus on yourself. You can make yourself whole again and use the experience to adorn your new self."