Kim Kei presents mixed media work at Brandstater

An opening reception was held on Oct. 2 for the show which officially opened the following day.

Kei was born in Christi, Texas, but now lives and works in Los Angeles. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2003. She has had solo exhibitions at Alter Space, Bustamante Gill, and Oxholm Gallery.

Kei begins her multi-media process with gathering discarded everyday objects and natural debris. She selects these items based on their imperfections and remainder of use. She then creates malleable sculptures that she photographs in succession as they move. The photos are finished works, but are also used as reference for future paintings. She then distorts sheets of dried paint to wrap her sculptures with. The dried paint wrap is intended to represent skin and is inked and pressed to paper to represent cracks and folds in the skin. Her work aims to present the body in a unrecognizable form.

Tim Musso, director of Brandstater and assistant professor, was captivated by Kei’s work at a group exhibition at the Torrance Art Museum in 2014. He then invited her to be the first artist in residence over the summer in the art and design studios. It was there where she had the opportunity to work with the etching press to create a body of work that was in display in the gallery. She also worked with the art and design majors by giving them feedback on their own art projects, while also inviting them to give feedback on her work. “These interactions are what make an artist residency beneficial to all involved. The students get to rub elbows with a working artist and build their network of artists,” said Musso.

Musso worked on a book with Kei for the gallery that showcased how the work for the exhibit was made. The book is on display at the gallery in order to invite visitors into the process.

The exhibits at Brandstater aim to open up students and visitors to different media and challenge their perceptions.

“Kim’s work is striking. The work is very abstract and conveys themes of personal and interpersonal connection and physicality that I knew would be challenging and engaging to gallery visitors,” said Musso.