Kellie Orr: Ephemera + Apparitions

Kellie Orr’s highly realistic oil paintings use nuanced symbolism to reflect contemporary societal expectations, consumerism, and popular culture.

Although Orr presents primarily still life paintings in her most recent exhibition, ephemera + apparitions, the figure is omnipresent. Both figures and objects are afforded the same amount of attention, time, and detail. If we regard Orr’s paintings as portraits taking the form of still life, we can begin to unpack the intention behind her work.

Orr’s compositions, although playfully nodding to the tradition of still life painting, are decidedly contemporary. Her paintings reference prevailing contemporary Western values with particular emphasis on the importance of presenting a perfected identity to the world, whether in person or on social media. Flowers, makeup, mirrors, and balloons with reflective surfaces allude to these phantom personas and constructed façades. By bringing together the language of historical painting with modern elements, Orr asks us to consider our place within the complexities of our current cultural landscape.

Kellie Orr recently relocated to Vancouver from Perth, Australia. In 2019, Orr will exhibit her work in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Perth, and Vancouver. She studied design at Curtin University in Australia and is predominantly a self-taught painter.

Image credit: Kellie Orr, Connection, oil on canvas, 40 x 30”, 2018

Exhibition Reception: Sunday June 9, 2 – 4 p.m.
Artist Talk: Sunday June 23, 2 p.m