Visual Art

ARTIST BIO:

Over the past nine years, Katherine Emely Gomez’s work has been selected for presentations locally and across several states; from New York to Colorado in over 15 art gallery exhibitions, including a solo show at Chashama in Harlem, NY. Gomez has participated in the Openings NY Artist Residency program for two summers and is a recipient of a Chashama Artist Grant and En Foco PDI honorarium.

Gómez is a contemporary artist who seeks to create a different view of self-portraiture and dreamlike imagery using photography and oil paints. She explores how environment, culture, life events, grief, love, and imagination are as important to one’s own identity as a given name at birth. Her portraits themselves embody self-transformations, exploration and reflection inspired by twin loss. As an identical twinless twin, her image has come to represent three entities: her sister, her twin hood, and herself.

Her installations are designed to transport the viewers into understanding the perception of losing your “Twinship”. An immersive experience using symbolic objects, mirrors and furniture. Her latest artworks portray symbolism of strength and spiritual essence while using a combination of expressionistic painting and photographic realism. View the artworks page for more in depth descriptions per series.

She holds a BFA and MFA from the City University of New York, Lehman College in The Bronx. Her artworks was recently exhibited at Local Project Art Space in Long Island City, Queens, the Maritime Garage Gallery in South Norwalk, CT, Riverfront Art Gallery in Yonkers, Center for Fine Arts Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has curated group exhibitions at the Living Gallery in Brooklyn and St. Paul the Apostle, Upper West Side, NY. Her story and artworks were broadcasted at NY1 Noticias, News12 and written by Hartford Courant, Scene Magazine, El Diario Newspaper and Harlem News Group.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

I look at the dimensionality of self-portraiture, in particular the artworks of Francesca Woodman, Cindy Sherman and Frida Kahlo, who help introduce the use of costumes, environment and objects. As an identical Twinless Twin, my image has come to represent three entities: my sister, my twin hood, and myself. My portraits themselves embody self-transformations, reinvention, exploration and reflection. The "Twinless Art" originated based on my Master's Thesis and was extended through my Art Gallery expositions. The following questions come to mind during my art exhibitions.

Frequently Asked Questions during my art exhibitions:

Is it difficult to return to these potentially painful memories?

Yes and no, memories are with me always and do not disappear. These memories are a part of me whether it’s before and after my identical twin sisters death. I am more connected and happier when I started working on these projects. It makes me sad when I finish a project since it makes me feel closer to her. During my art trip to Colorado I felt like she was with me every step of the way. My memories become brighter when I focus on the project.

How has the death of your sister influenced growth in your own life?

I’ve become more spiritual. I’ve become more aware how a life of one person can impact the rest. After she passed I saw the great impact she had on many people.

What has been your favorite piece so far? Why?

My favorite piece is “Separation”. This piece really captures the rawness of when I first saw my sister laying in bed after she passed. Impacted by the color blue that replaced the light that was once there. There is a complete difference in seeing a body without your spirit inside. The body no longer has this yellow glow but instead there lies a blue cold body.

Has creating something from loss been useful to you in recovering from this traumatic event?

Most certainly. This experience and journey while creating these artworks have been very therapeutic for me. To be able to express everything through my art so rawly is healing for me.

Where would you like your artwork to take you?

As far as possible. I would like to leave my name and my story to bring something positive to someone. Make a difference in the lives of families and of twins. I want to leave something behind that will be useful to others before my time comes.

How has the loss of your sister influenced your relationship with fear of loss and grief?

My sister was the first person I’ve experienced a loss in my life and for it to be my twin sister has made a major impact in my life. This event shacked everything for me. I’ve lost the fear of death. I feel that somehow the soul doesn’t die because of the spiritual connection I feel with her.

Have you experimented with any other mediums?

I occasionally experiment with painting and sketching from time to time. I do see myself moving towards mixed media. Playing with painting and photo together.

How has your artwork evolved since the beginning of your career/ passion with art? What was it like before Emely’s death?

My passion has everything to do with her. My sister passed before my professional career started. I was actually starting my masters thesis right when she passed and I based my artwork on my sister since her passing was very recent. My grief went into my art.

Features:

El Diario La Prensa

“La joven dominicana ha encontrado en el arte una forma de expresar el vacío que dejó la prematura partida, y también ha utilizado la fotografía para exaltar la huella que su querida hermana dejó en el mundo.”

– El Diario La Prensa

Scene Magazine

“Through the use of her photography, Katherine Emely Gómez, was able to convey the light and pain of her deepest sentiments and memories into symbolic representations of something only truly known to the artist herself. Although this may be a difficult task, Gómez does a beautiful job in executing something included in her artist statement- “Making the invisible visible.”

- Scene Magazine

"Twinless Art Collection"