Exhibition Statement  

 
The relationship between photography and painting is complex and 
contesting. As an artist and a future art educator, I see painting and 
photography both as means of creative expression and 
communication. In this exhibition, there are pieces that integrate 
painting and photography together. Similar to many forms of 
communication, paintings and photographs can be perceived 
differently based on the nature of the viewer’s experiences.  
 
In ​The Color of Emotion​ series, I attempt to ​illustrate an individual’s 
relationship to, and perception of color as associated with a certain 
emotion. ​I have always thought of color as a means of 
communication. ​In the twenty photographs of the series, I 
photographed individual people as they painted their own bodies 
with paint. I prompted each individual with a specific emotion to 
ponder, then they chose colors that they personally associated with 
that emotion. Four different people portrayed the same emotion 
and were able to illustrate the emotion from four unique 
perspectives. I furthered the concept by painting the likenesses of 
five of the subjects and I substituted my own color choices that I 
believed related to the same emotion.  
 
By juxtaposing painting with the realm of photography, this exhibition 
invites the viewer to explore a personal perception of the artwork. It 
also creates a visual conversation for the viewer that helps to expose 
personal bias opinions. As a future art educator, I vow to be an 
inclusive role model that is able to open her students’ minds and 
hearts to understanding other people’s perspectives.  
 
Kameran Ulferts