Discovering Humanity – Camie Rigirozzi 

As humans we are defined by our needs, wants, and what drives us. Camie came back to making art after going through the world mechanically and needing to discover why she was experiencing what she was experiencing, and what her needs, wants, and drives are. Via art, Camie finds anger, infatuation, joy, longing, and ultimately her humanity and essence. Camie uses animal symbols as a vehicle for thoughts and feelings to create their own existence; animal imagery makes it possible to understand what her unconscious is experiencing. Through ripping papers, splashing paint, and scribbling Camie creates mixed media puzzles that beg to be solved. 

“I invite my viewers to simplify the convoluted and connect to their own diverse interpretation of the ambiguity in my work. I aim to describe my experience of being human, and I use an existential approach to humanism to bring to light the messiness, imperfection, and absurdity of our shared humanity. I honor the existence of other people when they view my work, and welcome viewers with the freedom to assign meaning based on their own experience in the world.” 

The artworks in this show comprise the first four years of Camie’s art making career, and subsequently the first four years that she has embraced her imperfection and discovered her own humanity. The symbols in her work have the following meanings for her: Cats = Need; Llamas = Want; Bulls = Drive.