Can We Speak in Flowers

September 2, 2022 - October 9, 2022
Kiechel Fine Art presents the newest exhibition by Chad M. Olsen, ‘can we speak in flowers’ opening on Friday, September 2, 2022 from 5pm-9pm. Brief artist talk at 6:30pm.
Artist Statement:
“can we speak in flowers. / it will be easier for me to understand.”
– Nayyirah Waheed, salt., 2013
This body of work results from my love for Minimalism and my Buddhist practice, which are the foundations of my visual language. They are present in all aspects of my work, from my abstracts to my landscapes, and allow me to quiet my mind and become peacefully observant while I paint. Only then can I embrace the act of painting itself and pour my thoughts and emotions into my work. Flowers appear as a reoccurring motif throughout this show because they have a soothing effect on the mind and are often used as gifts or offerings. They are soft, elegant, and fragile. Their beauty, in part, stems from their vulnerability. Other themes present in this body of work are my fascination with darkness, the mutability of white paint, mala beads, mental health, and time (I am painting with my past and present self). Let me speak to you in flowers.