Katie McCloskey

‘The Grieving Series’ is a deeply personal body of work that captures my intense emotion and physical response to the loss of two family members within a short period of time. My younger cousin passed away by suicide and a month later my auntie passed away from cancer.

The work features several abstract self-portraits displaying disturbing and mournful confinement. My technique, loosely inspired by Dana Schutz, involves the use of colourful washes, quickly adding and wiping away paint marks. This mixed-media collection also includes black scratch paper, lino prints and knitted pieces inspired by my cousin’s woven coffin and Emily Wazak’s, ‘To Guide Shadows’ exhibition.

My practice aims to foster the understanding that everyone experiences and processes grief uniquely, healing at their own pace. Art-making serves as a form of therapy, to visually express the inner turmoil in an attempt to make sense of emotions and encourage healing.