Bio

Julianne Nash  (b. 1991, Massachusetts)  is a New York City based artist. She received her MFA in Photography Video and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts (2018), where was awarded the Assistantship Scholarship for two consecutive years, and the Alumni Scholarship; she received her BFA in Photography from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with Departmental Honors (2013). Julianne’s work exists at the intersection between photographic collage and digital painting; she utilizes algorithms inherent to Photoshop in conjunction with traditional compositing techniques to create densely layered landscape images.  

Julianne was listed as a finalist in the NYSCA/NYFA Fellowship for Photography (2019). Her most notable exhibitions include "Place Title Here" at the Plaxall Gallery (NY) and "Ad Astra Per Aspera" at The Wassaic Project (NY). She participated in the REPOPULATIONS show at the Broadway Stages Gallery in conjunction with NoOSPHERE Arts, which was an official Climate Week event (2019). Julianne’s work was published in Lyle Rexer’s acclaimed book, “The Critical Eye: Fifteen Pictures to Understand Photography” (Intellect, 2019). Her self published artist book, Agglomeration, can be viewed at the School of Visual Arts Library in their Artist/Rare Book Collection.  In 2021, Julianne was an artist in resident at Tiny Birch Residency (VT) and The Eastern Frontier Society’s Norton Island Residency (ME).  

Statement  

From the ongoing series "The Exiles", in which I create surrealistic landscapes indicative of the trauma we all store in our bodies. The Internal Family Systems therapy model states that disassociation occurs on a continuum, in which the self-system breaks down. The betrayal and rejection abused children feel from their caregivers permeates all aspects of their mind, body and soul. This burden becomes toxic; parts of ourselves that that we need to deny — and protect — at all costs. These dark parts of our souls are called the exiles. The protectors keep the toxic pain of memories, sensations, beliefs and emotions associated with the trauma locked away at all costs. When addressing these dark places, I began to fabricate landscapes to visualize my own exiles by utilizing digital collage techniques. These images are of no place in reality, rather are meticulously collaged photographs to create a place in the subconscious.Once completed, the images are run through a Neural Filter, which colorizes them based off of machine learning; I personally use the process counter-intuitively in order to create such surrealistic color palettes indicative of traditional cyanotypes or alternative photographic processes.

“The Exiles” is entirely rooted in my own vulnerability; for years I was hardened to the trauma I endured as a child, masking it with anger and dis-regulation. Therapy was a catalyst for my to finally enter the spaces within myself I entirely rejected — spaces that are ubiquitous to those who have similarly experienced abuse. Strength comes from the softness of our souls. Vulnerability is, at its core, is difficult to navigate — it is an ever-changing, ever-expanding entity within us, and those that wish to heal must embrace it.

www.juliannenash.com

When did your interest in art begin vs. when you began thinking of it as a career/life choice?

Before I was born, my mom was a practicing artist -- she made these wonderfully energetic paintings, of which hung in my Grandparent's basement for as long as I can remember. My parents got divorced shortly after I was born; my now newly single mom of three was not able to keep up her practice any longer, so she really channeled that into us. Neither of my siblings took to art like I did, but for me it was fate. Art-making quickly became the thing that made me feel most whole. I will never forget having come home from school one day in tears because I was placed in a music class that semester rather than art. My wonderful mom pulled together what she could to enroll me in private art classes, knowing how much it meant to me. It was not until she enrolled me in a pre-college program at my alma mater that things really took hold. I was so certain all I wanted to do was be an artist at that point, I only applied to one college!  

Basically, this is a long-winded version of saying... I got it from my Mama.  

What draws you to your particular subject matter?

I always like to have a few projects going on at once. That focus on different themes helps me stay energized with the work. Right now, my two biggest focuses are climate collapse and trauma. The images here are from a series, "The Exiles", that essentially focuses on how I have stored trauma in my body for my whole life thus far. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with Complex-PTSD and have been diligently working on bettering myself. I found myself constantly describing my pain in very visual terms to my therapist, with a recurring symbol of a void existing somewhere inside me. It turns out that as described in the Internal Family System model, disassociation occurs on a continuum in which the self-system breaks down. The betrayal and rejection abused children feel from their caregivers permeates all aspects of their mind, body, and soul. This burden becomes toxic; parts of ourselves that that we need to deny — and protect — at all costs. These dark parts of our souls are called the exiles. The protectors keep the toxic pain of memories, sensations, beliefs and emotions associated with the trauma locked away at all costs. When addressing these dark places, I began to fabricate landscapes to visualize my own exiles by utilizing digital collage techniques. These images are of no place in reality, rather are meticulously collaged photographs to create a place within my subconscious. Once completed, the images are run through a Neural Filter, which colorizes them based off of machine learning; I personally use the process counter-intuitively in order to create surrealistic color palettes indicative of traditional cyanotypes or alternative photographic processes.

What interest of yours (outside of art) ends up influencing your practice the most?

My interest in the natural world is what always fuels my practice the most. Whenever I have free time, I am always trying to get outside. I love nothing more than experiencing the natural world through childlike eyes. You can frequently find me happily skipping down a trail, stopping to say hello to a little bug, and petting some moss. My spirit lives in the forest.  

What is one piece of advice you wish you could give your younger self?

Oof, that's a tough one. At this time in my life, the biggest thing I would tell my younger self is that being a "successful artist" means different things for each person. When I graduated from MassArt in 2013, I was determined to go on the ivy league track for graduate school and envisioned having a gallery signed by this time. I didn't end up at an ivy league school and I have yet to have a solo show, but I've steadily made progress towards the goal of being a full-time practicing artist. I am still learning how to be satisfied with my own pace. I only wish I didn't spend the past decade beating myself up for not succeeding at the rate I envisioned for myself at 16.  

What would you say is your biggest goal for this year?

Right now, my biggest goal for this year is to get a book I have been working on with a friend published. He writes in beautiful prose about the natural world; combined with my climate work, we've created a working draft that serves as an eerie call to action for climate change. We are currently in the process of applying to a few publishers and residencies to try and carve out the right path. We are very hopeful to have some form of it published within the year -- whether it be as a small zine, a handmade book, or just a section of the content published in a climate magazine. We are really excited to get this idea in print!