Soso Capaldi
I recently had a studio visit where my visitor said my work emits an energy of bliss that happens in childhood that you can never get back. Something like sublime. It’s not just that my work that points, nods, and lawls in the direction of childhood. I speak gently of reparenting myself and trying to actually find out how to know myself and a lot of it is at the root, childhood.
A safe space for me isn’t the same as for everyone else. Mine involves giant legos, multiple 300 pound vats of play dough mixed in a clay mixer, no ugly colors, like dark pink; there is pool noodle wall paneling, creatures strewn about or safely tucked away in their cubby holes. A safe space for me is surrounded with the things I was supposed to grow out of. It is stuffed with some of the remnants of the things that go in another’s miscellaneous drawer.
There is no charcoal or plaster there to disturb my sense of touch. There is hand sanitizer and it’s a party but not a birthday party because that’s so much pressure. It’s just a general party. My friend is making balloon animals in street clothes because clowns are scary. There are streamers and confetti but no noise makers because those are too loud. there’s nothing too loud, there are places to rest. There are no requirements or time limits to any of the activities you may choose to engage in. There are gashapon machines and candy and snacks and booze. There are stickers. There are pom poms and there is a pom pom ball pit and a regular ball pit there is a small inflatable pool with rubber ducks in it and the undersides of the ducks have numbers on them. There are those animal crackers with the jimmies on them and there are those rainbow goldfish.
Heironymous Bosch smiles at me. He’s proud of my garden of earthly delights.
In my work, I use color, pattern, and depictions of creatures to reveal layers of myself to myself. The creatures mimic me in “plays” on paper or clay to teach me about myself. I’m kinder to them than to me, so through them I find a roundabout path to self-acceptance.
Untitled
ceramic and cord
n.d.
DESCRIPTION: A circular ceramic pendant, dotted with yellows, reds, and blues. It hangs on a twine cord.
Pom Pom Pussy
ceramic, pom poms, plastic
2021
DESCRIPTION: A small, brown, circular being with white beady eyeballs and black pupils. It's head is covered in bright pompoms; the colors are green, yellow, orange, blue, red, white and pink.
Thumb Dog
porcelain, cobalt
2016
DESCRIPTION: A small white ceramic figure that fits in the palm of your hand. It has four legs and a small nub of a tail. It's joints are outlined in blue.
Experiment
ceramic (raku) and homemade glazes
2021-2022
DESCRIPTION: A small brown figure, small enough to fir in your hand. It has toes and feet. It is very bulbous.
Untitled (portal)
risograph
2022
DESCRIPTION: On a white piece of paper, a geometric shape sits in the middle. The configuration is outlined in yellow and have areas of blue and pink throughout. These colors are boldly defined by yellow lines and patterns.
Untitled
speedball print of original drawing
2020
DESCRIPTION: Colorful print with energetic swooping lines. Areas of red, black, blue, green, and yellow intersect to create a junction of pigment.
Untitled
ceramic and cord
n.d.
DESCRIPTION: A colorful pendant hangs at the end of a cord that is blue, red, and yellow. These primary colors are also dotted all over the round pendant.
Untitled
ceramic and cord
n.d.
DESCRIPTION: A cord necklace is braided together. At the end of the bottom of the necklace, a color pendent is dotted with primary colors.
Untitled (little tyke)
acrylic on canvas
2020
DESCRIPTION: Chunky small painting with color-filled areas. The lower half is a pastel pink spotted with 4 areas of black, blue, red, and yellow. The top of the canvas has a red V stripped with thick black lines. A white bow in a sea of black sits at the very top.