Monika Maddux

Lives and works in Wichita, KS, USA

Artist statement

Monika Stockton Maddux Emotionally Detailed Visual Metaphors A recurring theme is my obsession. I have been unable to conceive and deliver a baby girl and a profound obsession has developed and festered. Because my family is such an important part of my life, it is natural that it is the inspiration from which I draw, and this is reflected in my work. I am a mother to four boys and have no daughters. My work mirrors intense and deep emotions, it is from these emotions that I pull, and therefore enable, an emotion from the viewer; the type of emotion which is felt instinctively; that becomes visceral yet cognitively unattainable. My content is uncomfortable and relatable. Loss and grief are important components of my work because of my personal experiences with miscarriage and death. Focused on portraying the emotions conjured through reenactment and visual conversation, I begin with the seemingly mundane, and upon further investigation, end with overwhelming sadness. This work is a progression that creates an environment where the viewer is confronted with passion and compulsion sparked by loss. I transform the viewer’s perception of their size and place, in their environment, to position them into what entering my mind would be like; An encounter within the emotionally disturbed consciousness of a mother who has lost and is obsessed with these notions. My research is into the multiple aspects of motherhood and I am investigating the obsession that develops in response to...

Artwork