Alexandria Couch

University of Akron

Target Practice: It Seems You Must Open Your Arms Wider, 2020
acrylic, oil, colored pencil, sharpie, colored pencil, and embroidery on canvas, 53 x 42 inches

Tell us about the work that you have submitted.
This work is a reflection of the more subtle ways in which one can become a target of racial judgment or unwanted attention. The figure here is pictured sitting in the grass comfortably and perhaps mid-conversation or movement. As viewers, we dissect the figure and its surroundings. It is the inevitable target of our attention. The figure is used to stares of judgment and stares back, unafraid, almost daring for further interaction.

What motivated you to apply to the AXA Art Prize?
Applying to the AXA Art Prize and attending the final exhibition last year had a tremendous impact on my work and the dialogue I am looking to facilitate with it. I gained exposure to up-and-coming artists and colleges in the art world looking to have the same conversations and impact as I am. The other artists that I met and the conversations I had, alone, made me excited to apply again.

What about figurative work do you find particularly interesting?
Figurative artwork is like an internal mirror. We are constantly exploring self through our work, whether it's intended or not; it becomes a reflection of us. This reflection is not limited, though, and just by the existence and nature of figural work, we empathize, expand, break down, connect, re-create, and emerge over and over again within ourselves and the eyes of others.

Instagram: @cosmocouch