Emma Kohlmann

COOPER COLE is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Emma Kohlmann titled, Sitting by the Well. This marks the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, and first in Canada.

Emma Kohlmann, a renowned visionary artist, embraces an unrestrained and spontaneous creative process, devoid of predetermined plans or restrictions. Guided by the desire to evoke specific moods, she draws from her intuition and immerses herself in a world of recurring universal symbols present throughout her art. These symbols, such as birds, the ouroboros, androgynous figures, spiders, and spirals, are all imbued with expansive connotations which contribute to the overall significance of Emma’s artwork without bearing sole responsibility.

Seeking genuine expression, Emma is drawn to the allure of a naive aesthetic, viewing it as a pure reflection of her subconscious. She draws inspiration from the poetic essence of the unconscious mind, embracing its untamed and instinctive nature. Emma’s approach challenges preconceived notions and societal expectations, liberating her artistic realm. Her creativity flows freely, forging a unique path.

Although her focus primarily lies in mark making through drawing, Emma expresses discomfort with being solely labeled as a painter. Instead, she identifies herself as a creator of pictures, emphasizing the artistry inherent in her visual storytelling. This perspective is further reflected in her incorporation of pyrography, using fire to burn designs onto wood frames. This technique symbolizes purification and reintegrates her drawing practice into her paintings.

Emma’s work captivates through intentional and meaningful lines and brushstrokes, weaving a genuine emotional atmosphere into her art that resonates with both herself and viewers. Her creative process taps into pure moods, experienced on a subconscious level without conscious acknowledgment.

“We do not need to learn anything to begin to dream. Nor do we need to absorb any chemical trigger the experience of dreaming. In the sense, the dream state, like the waking state, simply is. It happens as we happen. It seems to be as real as we are; and in this seeming realty lies a basic paradox for the sleeping dreamer”

Dreams: Visions of the Night
David Coxhead and Susan Hiller

Emma Kohlmann (b. 1989, New York, USA) is an artist whose practice oscillates between a network of mediums including painting, drawing, zine-making, and design. Her practice is driven by an intuitive sensibility and open approach to knowledge. By reinterpreting the past into new translations, an emotional and optimistic embrace pervades throughout her work.

Kohlmann received her B.A. from Hampshire College in Massachusetts and has attended printmaking residencies at the University of Austin Print Program, Austin, and Borch Editions with Master Printmaker Niels Borch Jensen in Copenhagen. She has exhibited extensively across the globe with recent solo exhibitions at : Cooper Cole, Toronto; Silke Lindner Gallery, New York; Jack Hanley, New York; V1 Gallery, Copenhagen; NEVVEN Gallery, Gothenburg. Selected group exhibitions include the Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson, Arizona; Venus Over Manhattan, New York; The Pit, Los Angeles; Andrew Edlin, New York. Her works are featured in the permanent collection of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, California. Kohlmann currently lives and works in Western Massachusetts.