what you scoop up of me | Annieo Klaas

Sea- smooth palm of the hand.

Musically in tune with the sun.

Does what I scoop up of you in the hollow of my hand take away from your vastness, your weight?

Who is that other person who, on one of your other shores, at this very moment, bends down and takes up this handful of water?

Sea- common knowledge.

-Louis Calaferte from “The Violet Blood of the Amethyste”, translated from the french by John Taylor

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Annieo Klaas uses felt texture and and visual representations of texture to talk about the line between friendship and abuse in human relationships.She collages paper, textiles and stitching in order to emphasis their subtle differences, sometimes adding or reproducing stains that are a result of decay or deterioration. Inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s theory of the life intrinsic to a “Picture Plane”, she explores what it means to be an artist adding to or taking away from a Picture Plane in light of the Picture Plane’s inability to object or consent to these actions. By creating the effect of a surface felt with the eyes through subtle contrasts and textures, she emphasizes the action of touching and close looking to express her intimate relationship with the artwork, and the relationship between the viewer and the artwork. Klaas grew up in Dakar, Senegal and now lives in Seattle, Washington. She received a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts (CCA) in 2015. Her solo exhibition, "Conversations" was held at the Closet Gallery at CCA (2014). Selected group exhibitions include: “Sound@Sunset”, curated by Greg Miller, Seattle, (2015); "Delicate Knives", Evolve Apartments, Seattle,( 2015); “K-Ham Open Studios, curated by Jade Highleyman, Seattle (2015); and "This is for ___(you)" at CCA and the Fremont Market in Seattle, (2014).