Alexandra Allen Carter

Your skin is song; your house is masked.  2016
Acrylic, gold leaf and cast vinyl print on wall.

This mural is an amalgamation of media and sources, using painting and photography to reference costume, theatre, and geology. The three figures depicted are engaging in performance through a combination of transformation, masquerade, and exaggerated emotion. The figures are taken from disparate contexts but interact with one another to achieve a suffusion of emotion and tension, in a moment of cathartic presentation.

I leave you with a beautiful description of the erupting Etna found in Homer’s epic poem Aeneid, fitting as it describes Etna with as much character and pizazz as the theatrical figures in the mural:

Now to the realm of light, it lifts a cloud

Of pitch-black, whirling smoke, and fiery dust,

Shooting out globes of flame, with monster tongues

That lick the stars; now huge crags of itself.

Alexandra Carter, born in 1985 in Boston, is a talented artist currently residing and working in San Diego, California. In 2015, she obtained her MFA from Goldsmiths University of London, following her earlier achievement of a BA from Rhodes College in Memphis in 2009. Alexandra has held a series of notable solo exhibitions, showcasing her captivating body of work.

Among her recent solo exhibitions, “Bumps & Grinds” took place at Rogers Gallery in Las Vegas, while “A Sense of Heat in Her Brain” was featured at Luna Anaïs Gallery in Los Angeles. Additionally, “Berries for Baubo” was displayed at Radiant Space in Los Angeles, and she participated in the “Tether” duo show at Oolong Gallery in Solana Beach, CA. Alexandra’s artistic journey has also seen her present solo exhibitions at Fusion Gallery in Turin, Italy, Southfork in Memphis, Projecto’ace Foundation in Buenos Aires, and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

Alexandra Carter’s artistic endeavors have been further enhanced through her participation in residency projects both nationally and internationally. Noteworthy residencies include the Kone Foundation’s Saari Residence in Finland, Rogers Art Loft in Las Vegas, KulturKontakt Austria in Vienna, Qwatz in Rome, Graniti Murales in Sicily, Vice~Versa Foundation in Goa, India, RECSIM in Jashipur, India, Galerija-Muzej Lendava in Slovenia, and the Kentucky Foundation for Women in Prospect, KY.

Through her diverse experiences and international exposure, Alexandra Carter has crafted a compelling artistic voice. Her work explores a wide range of themes, utilizing various mediums to evoke emotions and invite contemplation. Her residency projects have not only enriched her artistic practice but also facilitated cross-cultural exchange and collaboration. Alexandra’s dedication to her craft and her notable exhibitions and residencies solidify her position as an accomplished and influential artist.