Meet Lauren Buchness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Buchness.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
As an artist I’ve always been interested in the human body, however more recently I’m interested in my body and how others interact with my body. I am FAT with a capital “F”. And for a really long time I felt like every pound was weighing me down, keeping me from doing the things I wanted to, keeping me waiting until I lost the weight. So instead of losing the weight, I lost the wait. Through examining how others react to my body, and how I react to it myself, I began exploring body liberation through art both painting and video. Body liberation from dieting, from counting, from hunter, and through my work I create visual representation of that liberation. I’m still on this journey with my body, and my art represents the challenges genuinely.

Please tell us about your art.
I make work about my body either using my body in performative video or through painting. My primary medium for painting is watercolor, historically seen as women’s work, or lesser than other mediums. I choose watercolor because as a fat woman I am seen as less than in the eyes of society. However, I take extreme care and control to create my image to be as beautiful as possible, so that the viewer cannot deny the beauty of my body. In both the videos and paintings alike, I crop out my face and most identifiable features until my fat becomes my identifier, like it has been my whole life. I want the viewer to question their opinions and assumptions about fat bodies. To see the beauty in body diversity, and to maybe change someone’s mind about their own body not being enough. However, I do not want the viewer to forget the struggles fat people experience. So, I incorporate them subtly in the work through some imagery and titles. My work is very personal, and for the past year I have only depicted my own body, but in the future, I hope to reach out to other fatties to create more diverse work.

What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I actually think now is one of the best times to be an artist, with the internet making it easier to get exposure and sell work. Although it is very saturated which definitely makes it difficult to get noticed, you just have to keep putting yourself out there. The internet also creates a great sense of community between people especially artists. This network and building of connections is the most important thing for an artist, more than any tool you can buy. I definitely think following as many contemporary art blogs, Instagram, and magazines you can find is a great way to keep up with the contemporary art world and make connections. Some of the resources I use are the blog I need a guide; any of Phiadon Vitamin books, Hi Fructose and Juxtapose Magazines, and following galleries and museums on Instagram such as the Tate.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have a website that I am painfully slow to update, so the best way to see my work and my process is via Instagram (@ladybuchness). I am also applying to shows across the country and was recently notified that my work will be in a show at the 621 Gallery in Tallahassee Florida in July of 2019. I will also have my video work featured in Issue No 3 of Hiss Magazine. I’m really excited to continue showing my work, and plan on starting to sell my work through my website in the near future. Instagram is definitely the place to check out to see my process and new work.

Contact Info:

• Website: laurenbuchness.carbonmade.com
• Email: lrbuchness@gmail.com
• Instagram: @ladybuchness

Image Credit:
Lauren Buchness, Gary Setzer (Personal photo)

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