Ashely Peifer
Region: MFA Annual
My paintings feature bright candy colors, personal memories,
and a delight in material exploration. The paintings are somewhat
mischievous and rambling, like the diary of a preteen, and I view
them individually as memory objects. They exist as a momentary
autobiographical marker in space–time, each casting a spell
to transmute a mental reality into physical form. My imagery
is culled from fun pop culture of the ’90s, yet is abstracted and
layered. I use puffy paint, glitter, and jarring Lisa Frank colors
to playfully reference childhood and adolescent interests. The
shapes reference toys, music, and television, specifically things
like the Mario Brothers, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Laffy Taffy,
or Saved By the Bell. The pieces tread the line between what is
real and what is nostalgic. I am fascinated by nostalgia’s capacity
to over-beautify, embellish, or even transfigure a memory.