Soren Christensen is pleased to present Reliquaries, the 2nd solo gallery exhibition of New Orleans artist Audra Kohout. The show features a new body of assemblage works in the artist’s signature style, revolving around the common theme of the housing/encasing of highly personal or even sacred objects. There is whimsy, poetry, innocence and fantasy within Kohout’s sculptures. The assemblages are balanced, wildly creative, and always compelling. Upon first glance, all seems innocent enough - pixies, dolls, animals, fairies and figurines interact within each of their own small theaters, with the characters playing out elements of the human psyche. In some of the assemblages though, the milieu appears to be drawn from the Industrial Revolution era. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein comes to mind, as certain of Kohout’s characters seem to be involved with experiments, creating artificial life. Sometimes these figures take on the role of scientist or inventor - other characters are the subjects of failed or unstable results. There are partially mechanized people, incorporating machinery parts into their bodies, figures transmuting into part animal and bird. Wheels, ropes, pulleys, weights, scales, gears and machinery parts surround the central figures.
Audra Kohout has established a large number of collectors throughout region and the greater United States. The artist has been awarded numerous grants from the Louisiana Division of the Arts as well as other major foundations. The Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans presented The Ghost of Cornell, where many of Kohout’s box assemblages were exhibited with the works of Joseph Cornell. She was chosen for the Texas National exhibition in Austin, and continues to be invited to present her work in exhibitions throughout the country. Kohout lives and works in New Orleans.
The exhibition will run from October 2nd-29th, with the opening reception on Saturday, October 5th from 6:00-9:00 pm in participation with the First Saturday Art Walk in the Arts District of New Orleans and Art for Arts’ Sake Downtown.