Karina Boatright

Bio

Karina Boatright was born in Narashino Chiba prefecture in Japan. In 2016, she moved to the United States. Boatright started attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2020 and is currently a senior. Her major is Studio Art, with emphasis on photography and glass. She obtained a partnership with Pilchuck Glass School and participated in a workshop with instructor CARMEN LOZAR for the 2023 Program Session 4: Transformational Activities. This year, she will volunteer and apply for a summer class at the Corning Museum of Glass. Boatright currently lives and studies in Kearney, Nebraska.

Artist Statement

I am a photographer and glass blower pursuing my own curiosity.  My curiosity motivates me to create art. Everything that catches my eye is of interest to me. This phenomenon makes me think, "What happened? Why did it happen? How does it work? What perspective is it? How can we visualize it?" My challenge is to reflect these thoughts in my work. 

My concept consists of two pillars. One is to express and incorporate my identity of Japanese aesthetics and Zen philosophy into my work, and the other is to break down stereotypes and create new perspectives.

Living away from Japan, I rediscovered the Wabi-sabi aesthetic and Zen philosophy that are unique to my culture while learning art at the University. The Indian philosopher Rabindranath Tagore said "It is very simple to be happy, but it is very difficult to be simple." These words express my belief in my work. The word "simple" can contain contradictory elements: simplicity and complexity. My interpretation of simplicity comes from an interpretation of Zen philosophy, which means eliminating what is unnecessary and leaving what is necessary. In addition to Zen, the Japanese sense of beauty in decaying imperfection, called Wabi-Sabi is also connected to my work. Therefore, the aim is to find a sense of beauty and a spirit of nothingness within the unique simplicity of Japan in my work. 

Additionally, I focus on visualizing and giving form to my thoughts, culture, and aesthetic through my creativity. In general, photographs are basically two-dimensional, light and shadow which create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. Then, I came up with an idea. What if I layered images to intentionally create physical distance in the photographs? Is this no longer an illusion, but a really three-dimensional image? This idea challenged me to break through photographic theory and explore ways to create depth in photographs. I am trying to physically transform images from 2D to 3D. This idea is also reflected in my glass making. For example, by pasting decals on the glass surface and layering the glass, I attempted to physically create depth between the images.

This has to do with my favorite photographers Garry Winogrand and Cindy Sherman. Their perspectives break the rules and stereotypes of photography by focusing on specific details rather than big details. This is impossible with portrait photography and it has changed the theory of photography. They decide the angle of view by choosing what is necessary and what is not. This is also related to ideas of Wabi-sabi and Zen.

Visualizing my thoughts is fundamentally intangible and a challenge for both me and the viewer. Because I visualize my thoughts and ideas and the viewer reads and thinks about what happens before their eyes. To me, this is the ideal conversation between artist and viewer. I challenge myself to transform the principle of visual art through my identity, and create something surprising that makes people smile. My creations will help make room in people’s minds to meditate, heal and relax. That is my goal.