Joe Kwak

Emotion is the driving force behind the work that I create. My paintings are reflective of the confusion, uncertainty, passion, seriousness, intimacy, and challenges as they manifest a range of emotions and experiences on the way to an expression of self. I view the practice of painting as a search. I use a diverse array of text, imagery and abstract painting elements as a visual communication style. Painting allows me to step beyond the bounds of language and expand consciousness and perhaps address what can only be expressed visually. There is a constant questioning in the work to find the validity or truth to what I am expressing. My paintings articulate the self through an accounting of personal memories, ironic phrases, self-deprecating humor, autobiographical stream of consciousness, pop culture references, ecstatic or drug induced fringe references, and importantly a kind of innate belief in the power of the art form.


My studio is a clandestine laboratory where the focus of my work centers on the experimental use of materials and application of medium. My work is often edited over the course of days, weeks, months, and occasional years. Color, depth, and texture play an important role in helping me define the visual fie...