Bio

Pyre Klein is an interdisciplinary artist based out of Salem, Massachusetts. Klein is a student in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at Montserrat College of Art where they are studying painting and sculpture. With interest in exploring the poetic potential of materials and processes, Klein considers their work to be a form of contemporary alchemy. Their current work employs processes such as oil painting and iron casting while investigating personal identity and experiences of the everyday.

Statement

My recent series of works, Alchemy and Art, are my dearest creations. They embody personal risk, insight, pain, and beauty and are simultaneously formed by acts of creation and destruction. These works stem from my interest in the poetic process of putrefaction. In alchemical terms, putrefaction is defined as a process of decay and rot caused by conditional moisture and heat. My working process often starts with an untouched image, where the process of transmutation begins. From there, I burn, peel, and splice the surface with hand-tools after which I digitize the image and manipulate it with computer software. This process invites accidents, mishaps, and chance, all of which are hallmarks of contemporary alchemy. Every work involves a leap of faith where I put aside logic and reason, in order to perform experiments that rattle the known.

@fawn_and_inferno