In the fanciful depictions of Magda Kirk, massive deity-like characters reign over an interdimensional world comprised of emotion, self-awareness, and unlimited possibility. They are unabashedly seen strutting, stretching, flexing, or idly reclining in blissful states of reverie. In this realm, hues of fuchsias, purples, and golds radiate from within and without her subjects, spreading delicious blankets of warmth over entire canvasses. Always nude, tatted, and occasionally furry, these intimidatingly large bodies could possibly crush us in an instant, yet their benevolent appearance says they will most likely want to cuddle instead. With flowing pink hair and brawny features, they are a harmonious celebration of male and female strength. And while these gentle giants are robust and seemingly impenetrable, they also possess a tender sensibility that speaks to the multifaceted nature of humankind.
According to Poland based artist Kirk, her primary focus lies in body image. How we obsess, compare, and relate. Yet one gets the sense that these paintings go much deeper than mere perceptions of the body, and into how we characterize ourselves in general. Kirk wields her unusual forms in a way that makes us truly consider what this theme means to us, and how our notions of the perfect form needn’t necessarily stem from an earthly, material compass, but from an inward attitude. Using dramatic, extraordinary characters to illustrate this, she takes the concept of body image to a new level. They are indeed empowering, as their exalted forms defy limitation, and inspire explorations of self-acceptance. Reflections of the power we harness within ourselves, these unlikely creatures are us. “For sure on the basis of it, there is a conflict between having a body and being one. It was always my obsession and it’s my favorite theme to explore,” she states.
The inspiration for these unusual figurations hail from the embellished, idolized physiques of both male and female models, bodybuilders, and even fictional characters like superheroes, whose larger-than-life images all have their cultural impacts on our personal identities. Kirk loves playing with this idea, and the possibility of redirecting the critical self-perceptions us ordinary folk tend to carry with us. She uses a mixed bag of humor, horror, beauty, monstrosity, tenderness, and aggression to challenge this complicated relationship surrounding the body as a subject and object. She also deliberately avoids the depiction of faces, in order to keep her characters more on the ambiguous side. “Bodies in my work don’t have identity. For me they are characters full of life, emotion, and experience. I try to show their personality in ways other than in facial expression—by movement, body shape, tattoos, and color.”
Through facets of pop culture such as tattoo, trash graffiti, and cartoon, Kirk enjoys extracting iconic motifs and symbols to enhance the expression of her bodies. “Tattoos in my work are not directly symbolic, but they have their specific expression as a whole mixture of shapes and meanings,” she says. These ink scribbles overlap in an OCD-like manner over contours of plump, pinkish flesh. Their imagery is generally uplifted by friendly, cartoonish characters like grinning kittens and leaping unicorns. Yet there is a cryptic nature throughout which also gives these fleshy adornments a slightly demented vibe—much like that of chaotic, human nature itself, which is a blend of giggles, confusion, elation, and anguish.
FOR SURE ON THE BASIS OF IT, THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN HAVING A BODY AND BEING ONE. IT WAS ALWAYS MY OBSESSION AND IT’S MY FAVORITE THEME TO EXPLORE.”
