| It was a surprise to meet a genuine, happy girl with positive energy when sitting down with the young, New York-based artist Ali Gallagher, whom I knew painted dark and vivid imagery. I talked with Ali and discussed her recent artworks. We touched upon how death, spirituality and the unknown influence her overall aesthetic. Victoria Mayer: Tell me a bit about the main themes of your recent artworks, and how it connects with the themes of death, spirituality and the unknown? Ali Gallagher: In this series, I wanted to create images relating to the relationship and dialogue between the subconscious self and the conscious self, and how they affect one another. |
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Ali Gallagher – Victoria Mayer
It was a surprise to meet a genuine, happy girl with positive energy when sitting down with the young, New York-based artist Ali Gallagher, whom I knew painted dark and vivid imagery. I talked with Ali and discussed her recent artworks. We touched upon how death, spirituality and the unknown influence her overall aesthetic.
Victoria Mayer: Tell me a bit about the main themes of your recent artworks, and how it connects with the themes of death, spirituality and the unknown?
Ali Gallagher: In this series, I wanted to create images relating to the relationship and dialogue between the subconscious self and the conscious self, and how they affect one another. The characters in the work aim to represent wandering messengers immersed within their journeys of the dream state, while discovering life beyond the earthly, physical state.
VM: Do you have any major influences that inspire you when painting?
AG: The search for the ultimate truth, human emotions, intuition, ever-changing environments and the colors found in nature.
VM: Where did you go to art school?
AG: The University of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Design, Architecture, Art and Planning Program.
VM: How has New York influenced you?
AG: I can tell you that it has influenced the scale of my work, for one. Living in a shoebox will do that to you. New York has also made me appreciate the importance of solitude. Finding time for that here is a rarity. There is so much inspiration and stimulation occurring constantly in this city, that it keeps the creative flow going—sometimes so constantly that my brain hurts.
VM: Can you tell me a bit about the idea behind the naming of your images Burial to the Next or Gracie’s Choice from your etching series?
AG: The name Burial to the Next came from the subject in that piece. I found the remains of a little bird on the sidewalk one day and did sketches of it. The etching was created in honor of its passing on to the next stage. Buried in this life, and on to the next one. I thought it sounded appropriate. Birds have always fascinated me with their ability to fly.
VM: What provoked you to paint Mother?
AG: A close friend of mine had just passed before I did the etching for Mother, and I was obviously going through a hard time grieving for my loss. I was so curious as to where her soul was going. I drew that image portraying a guardian bird guiding recently departed souls on to their next journey.
VM: Why do you think people are scared to talk about death?
AG: Ultimately, everyone shares the same fate in that we live and then we die. People want to have control over everything in their life, and escaping death is naturally out of our control. That can be a frightening reality to face, especially in this society and with our current administration in office, where it seems instilling fear is the most effective way of controlling people.
If we talked about death all the time, then it would cripple us in living, loving and accomplishing our goals while we are here. However, death is something that we need to accept as much as we accept living, so that we may appreciate life.
VM: Do you consider art as a means for making people deal with “taboo” issues?
AG: The viewer takes what they want out of what they see and feel. You can’t force people to deal with something if they are not open to it, but art can at least help introduce issues to them by using images as a form of communication.
VM: Did anything special happen in your childhood or in your current life that provoked you to draw these dark and sad images?
AG: I have been through a great deal of loss connected with those close to me in my life already. Inevitably, that has affected my work. I am also a very vivid dreamer while sleeping. The process of dreaming can be used for time travel and communication when you are open to that—a very incredible tool to have.
I try to look at the positive side of loss now, and at what it has taught me by surrendering to the idea that nothing is permanent in life. I do not want to come off sounding self-righteous here, but it has become easier to be less affected by our society’s pressure on materialism, high-standing economic and social status, having the perfect body, etc., when you learn that none of that matters after you depart from here. Trying to be a good person, having compassion for others, spending time with the ones you love, traveling and experiencing other cultures weighs more than the status quo, in my opinion. I credit this revelation to what I learned through the lessons of loss in my life.
I hope that people do not consider them only dark and sad images. The topic of spirits, dreaming and intuitional bonds shouldn’t be a sad subject. These are natural parts of life. I hope the viewer is able to walk away from the work and be left with a feeling of familiarity and awareness that they are not alone on this journey, and to find comfort in that.
VM: What is it that you are trying to say with your recent artworks?
AG: To use theses images as a way of tapping into the realms of human intuition and dreams in order to form universal connections and bonds with others through the work. We are all in this game of life together, which makes us all even in the end. VM: Thank you so much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?
AG: There is no gain in fear, only inhibitions.
