Photo by Jennifer Bastian
ABOUT SELIA
Selia Salzsieder is a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Madison, Wisconsin. She received her undergraduate degree in 2017 from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing & Painting and a minor in Gender & Women's Studies. She also holds a post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education.
Selia is an elementary and middle school art teacher, a private art instructor, and a full time artist. She is also a collective member of the arts non-profit Communication in Madison, WI where she helps develop arts programming. She participates in art markers, craft fairs, and solo/ group exhibitions in Southern Wisconsin throughout the year, and sells artwork in a variety of locations.
View her CV/ Resume below for details.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Through my artwork, I attempt to discover what qualities are necessary for a body to be considered “attractive,” or “good,” or “desirable.” Through the juxtaposition of collaged materials, I aim to both critique and explore concepts of body image, sexuality, censorship, diversity, gender, and how bodies interact with each other and the viewer.
By pairing found images of bodies from popular media and vintage floral illustrations, a conversation is created between simultaneously disparate and complementary imagery. In my artwork bodies and nature intertwine, referencing how the feminine has been closely tied to nature throughout time. I often use the botanicals to obscure or otherwise censor various parts of the body, as a means of disconnect and objectification. This mirrors elements of my experience as a woman, and historical and cultural representations of gender.
My collages, paintings, and illustrations often explore the way that bodies are represented in the media. My work asks questions such as: Who is represented? What type of bodies are being centered? Who is being left out? What are the images for, and who is the intended audience?
By critically engaging with current and vintage media- I am able to investigate these questions by recontextualizing images outside of their original intent. What does it mean when a queer, fat, feminist woman uses imagery created mainly for the male gaze?
By exploring these themes through artistic intervention, I hope to come closer to understanding more about myself as well as our shared human experience.