ARTISTS

Tess Finkelstein

https://tessfinkelstein.com

Back and Forth 2018-2019

Ink, Acrylic, Charcoal on Variating Papers
50 in X 40 in and variable

Back and Forth 2018-2019 (Detail)

Ink, Acrylic, Charcoal on Variating Papers
50 in X 40 in and variable

Portraits Of 2019

Digital Collage Print out on Paper
60 in X 120 In

Portraits Of 2019 (Detail)

Digital Collage Print out on Paper
60 in X 120 In

Foundation of Wood 2019

Paper collage on two pieces of Wood
24 in X 32 in

NYC Shul: Ornamentation 2018

Acrylic and Oil on Canvas
24 in X 18 in X .5 in

NYC Shul: Windows 2018

Acrylic, Oil, watercolor on Canvas
15 in X 15.5 in X .5 in

Tattoo 2018-19

Oil, Acrylic, Ink on Studio Wall
84 in X 60 in X 10 in and variable

Artist Statement

I use my artistic practice as a way of documenting my surroundings and personal

explorations in a cartographical lens. My work investigates my identity and the identity of

places. I use cartography as a platform for exploring my knowledge of a place and my

connection to specific spaces. My painting and drawings are saturated with densities of

detail, interlaced with patterns, systems, iconography, architecture, and observation. My

work plays with perspective, and often spills across multiple pieces of paper in distorted

panoramas, allowing for a frameless process.

 

I began to think about religion and my heritage and how that affects my decisions and

artistic practice: A reoccurring subject in my work is my Jewish Identity and the spaces,

items, and symbols that are associated to my Judaism. I started going back to synagogue

services and I rediscovered my infinity for religious architecture which led me to creating

my Synagogue series. Pattern design is also very prevalent in my work because it visually

and metaphorically symbolizes the reoccurring aspects to religion, architecture, and my day

to day practices.