Kukula
Kukula Description
Kukula (b. 1980, Israel)
The artist and painter, Kukula, was born and raised an hour from Tel Aviv, Israel in a small village. Growing up in Israel she had access to only one television channel, educational programming, therefore she watched a lot of operas and ballets.
The costuming and worlds created in those performances influenced her desire to be a part of them; to get involved in the acting, music, dancing, and costumes. She participated in ballet and playing piano, but ultimately went towards illustration and then painting.
These early childhood memories of watching the opera on television impact how she constructs her paintings. She loves fashion; it’s become a hobby of hers. She collects shoes and follows designers such as Rodarte and independent women designers such as Creepyyeha to find inspiration for how she outfits and adorns her figures. She believes in supporting independent women designers, because “sometimes even with the talent and ideas, without money and support, those designers could disappear”.
While the style of her work is heavily influenced by Rococo, she adds her pop twist. By making her work mainly female focused, posing them in a way that confronts the viewer. Kukula says, “All my paintings are inspired by British 18th century portrait painters like Gainsborough and Reynolds so there will be an American and French Revolutionary vibe but the characters in my paintings are strong females now in place of their male predecessors.” In contrast to 18th century portraiture, instead of making work only for the aristocrats, she wants her work to be for everyone.
Limoges French Porcelain is another of her inspirations. She uses the common attributes such as the pattern, filigree, or gold accents within her compositions. The filigree becomes a part of the women’s bodies. It shows that they may be fragile, but also serves as a protection from people or other elements in the world. The patterning sometimes becomes their skin, and what can be found internally is represented on the outside of their bodies. It’s beauty mixed with the grotesque, which is how she views her childhood, the dichotomy of being surrounded by people telling horror stories about surviving the Holocaust, mixed with listening to fairytales and watching the visually stunning operas.
Kukula paints with walnut oil paint on wood panel. She starts most of her paintings with a drawing then a blue and white acrylic wash to give the oil paint on top a natural sense of shading. She makes sure the drawing stays visible, as she needs that to show through as a guide. Sometimes the drawing takes longer than the painting process as she makes sure it’s perfect before starting to paint with the oils. She uses glazing technique to apply such elements as the eye makeup.
Kukula received a degree in illustration from Vital-Shenkar in 2003, then moved to the U.S. in 2004. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her family.
Kukula Resumé
Education
2003 Illustration Degree, Vital-Shenkar College, Ramat Gan, Israel
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Kukula :: Métier de Rêve, KP Projects
2020 Kukula, Dear Diary, Haven Gallery
Group Exhibitions
2024 The New Salon: A Contemporary View, Asheville Art Museum
2022 25th Anniversary Exhibition, KP Projects
2020 5 Years of Haven, Haven Gallery
Wonder Woman, Dorothy Circus Gallery
2019 MOTHER & CHILD, Dorothy Circus Gallery
"Square Pegs", Parlor Gallery's 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Parlor Gallery
2018 100 Women, SHOWstudio
2017 Pages from Mind Travellers Diaries, Dorothy Circus Gallery
Moving Kate, SHOWstudio
Music Box II, Haven Gallery
2013 Mad Hatters - curated by Ixie Darkonn, The Flower Pepper gallery
Art Fairs
2020 Haven Gallery at SCOPE Miami Beach 2020, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at SCOPE New York 2020, Haven Gallery
2019 Haven Gallery at SCOPE Miami Beach 2019, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at District 13 International Art Fair 2019, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at SCOPE New York 2019, Haven Gallery
2018 Haven Gallery at SCOPE Miami Beach 2018, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at Market Art + Design 2018, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at SCOPE New York 2018, Haven Gallery
2017 Haven Gallery at SCOPE Miami Beach 2017, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at Market Art + Design 2017, Haven Gallery
Haven Gallery at SCOPE New York 2017, Haven Gallery
2016 Haven Gallery at SCOPE Miami Beach 2016, Haven Gallery
