Artist Emily Buchalski

I never intended to become an artist. I always believed I would have became a mortician and would be by this point in my life. Things did not go that way and to make a long story short, I found away to combine my two life long loves: making art and questioning everything.

My personal artistic practice is nothing short of morbidly charged and macabre. Throughout my undergraduate years I focused on how I could successfully portray my artwork to everyone in and outside of the artistic community. My goal was to make sure no stone was ever left unturned, being meticulous with my message, my materials and my display. I developed a practice of using content that is recognizable at face value but with deep conceptual undertones. The macabre and morbidity of different topics can come off as taboo but I believe they should be approachable. Face value content allows that for a viewer and can connect just about anyone to the art, whether it is just a moment of recognition or a feeling of resonation. It may be overwhelming at first, like with my work Tick (a response the the Dooms Day Clock), a wall of many different ominous ticking clocks all close to striking midnight. Once a viewer gets a closer look, they may recognize the alarm clock they had as a child or one that their family has in the living room. It becomes relatable and plants seeds for more information. Why that clock? Why that time? What happens at midnight?

After I graduated, I began to focus my work two dimensionally to further develop that translation of face value art. I began using more traditional methods helping me understand how to translate my messages and emotions through different mediums, such as charcoal. It became apparent to the importance a dramatic change in contrast could really visually impact an artwork paired with how the face value content is portrayed. Slowly I started moving outside of my comfort zone of morbidity and exploring avenues such as macabre humor. Salvator Equo was created in response to the $450,0000,000 sale of Salvator Mundi, which was claimed to be an authentic Da Vinci. I had a hunch that it would be challenged because proving something to be an authentic Da Vinci is nearly impossible. I felt whoever claimed this was horsing around to see how far this claim could go. Shortly after, an article came out disputing its authenticity. Though Salvator Equo was created in the likeness of Salvator Mundi, it is much more bold and visually direct with what is presented at face value. It is very much a horse hybrid and very much not Jesus. A striking black background to make the hybrid stand out serves as a reminder for that.

As I continue to develop artistically, I continually think of how a viewer can interpret it. My goal is to create work that creates conversation and encourages thinking. As a said before, it may just be a moment of recognition or a feeling of resonation. It may be a brief giggle or an in depth analysis. Bottom line is that it is a connection, which I will always strive to establish.

Salvator Equo-Charcoal on Rives by Artist Emily Buchalski Salvator Equo – 16″x20″, Charcoal on Rives