Anna Park

New York Academy of Art

Artwork title: Parent Teacher Conference (private collection)
charcoal and graphite on paper | 43 x 29 inches

Tell us about the work that you have submitted.
Presenting (left to right): Veronica, Gus, Carol, and Jack. Carol is a recent divorcee and wants to just have fun. Her best friend Veronica looks longingly past her husband, Gus, because she has been madly in love with Carol for the past three years. Jack came with the intention of getting some action from Carol, but we see how that’s going for him.

How do you describe your work and practice?
I rarely plan out my pieces, but rather allow the instinctual response to take over when the charcoal hits the paper. To have the end result be unknown is what keeps me excited to go into the studio every day. The sets of problems that are waiting to be resolved and the constant dialogue I have with the piece is something that I find to be the most rewarding.

What motivated you to apply to the AXA Art Prize?
I felt that applying to the AXA Art Prize would be a wonderful opportunity to present this continuing dialogue of what contemporary figurative drawing can be. I hope to share and generate the same excitement about the medium of drawing through my work.

What inspires your work?
I want to present the side of ourselves that emerges when we remove the curated facade of what is deemed “acceptable” by societal standards, capturing a moment of getting rid of our inhibitions and letting our natural tendencies take over.

www.annaparkart.com
Instagram | @annaparkart