Alexia Mathysen-Gerst

Artist Bio

Alexia Mathysen-Gerst is a native Swiss, born to a Brazilian mother and a Dutch-German father. She is an artist based in New York City. Currently enrolled in Parsons School of Design, she is graduating in Spring 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Minor in Photography.

Neptune (still), 2018 Color HD video Dance Performance Running Time: 3:15, still: 1:06

Neptune (still), 2018 Color HD video Dance Performance Running Time: 3:15, still: 1:53

Seeks Peeks Series 2, 2018 Giclee Print on Fine Art Paper 12 in x 12 in

Seeks Peeks Series 1, 2018 Giclee Print on Fine Art Paper 12 in x 12 in

Beautifully Disturbing (still), 2018 Color HD Video, Wall Projection Animation, Silkscreen Prints Series, Charcoal Drawings Running time: 03:12, still: 01:32

Chrysalis, 2018 Photography Print 20 in x 30 in

Release, 2018 Photography Print 20 in x 42 in

Artist Statement

Looking through altered states of consciousness, derived from perceptual experience, my body of work relies on figurative modes of representation transformed through the lenses of repetition, distortion and fragmentation. I draw, paint, print, photograph and document video performance in which I seek to reveal psychological layers of depth embedded within a surreal context.

More specifically, my work straddles the line between the realms of The Fine Arts and The Fashion Industry. The perception of beauty is highlighted through the lenses of Fashion Photography in which the aesthetics of the female body is portrayed in a polished and idealized manner. By pushing further, I warped my subjects by disrupting their initial state in order to decipher concepts such as the human psyche. Through the use of constructed reality and dance performance, I create a surreal fantasy ruled by intuition, communication and desire. This in tandem with the use of color, ignites an emotional response.

I am drawn to concepts such as the psychology behind human behavior, body language and facial expression, which are revealed when the body in motion is captured. Self-expression is unique and comes alive in a dynamic moment of release. Through the documenting and editing process, the evolving composition keeps the eye scattered as it wanders across the chaotic image, mirroring the inner sensation of a mind being pulled into opposite directions.