Aunia Kahn Returns to Painting After 20-Year Allergy Hiatus, Debuts Gouache Works
After enduring life-threatening allergies for twenty years, painter Aunia Kahn has returned to traditional painting, presenting figurative gouache pieces inspired by folklore. Although she initially created art digitally, her diagnosis and subsequent treatment enabled her to return to painting, yet she struggled to regain the joy that once made art her refuge. As she explored new styles, she encountered a decline in her following and support. Drawing inspiration from her Polish grandparents, Kahn infused her creations with vibrant colors and intricate patterns. Her artwork is profoundly personal, merging her cultural heritage with sculptural aspects. Notable pieces include "Beloved Ghosts in the Sanctuary of Memory," "Sovereignty Circles the Ones Who Carry the Ancient Things," among others.
Key facts
- Aunia Kahn is a painter who creates figurative works in a colorful, folkloric style.
- For 20 years, life-threatening allergies to most mediums kept Kahn working digitally.
- A diagnosis and medication allowed Kahn to paint again, but she had lost the joy that made art her salvation.
- Sharing experimental work cost Kahn followers, collectors, and gallery support.
- Kahn's heritage is French Canadian, German, and Scandinavian, but her Polish grandparents shaped her most.
- Her Polish grandparents' home was full of folk art, dolls, textiles, and painted furniture.
- Kahn's practice includes sculptural and dimensional work, translating her painted world into three-dimensional form.
- The featured works are all gouache paintings, with dimensions ranging from 9″ x 12″ to 15″ x 21″.
Entities
Artists
- Aunia Kahn
Institutions
- Artsy Shark