Anita Gangi Balkun
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford, Connecticut
Bio: Anita Gangi Balkun received two bachelor degrees, in Studio Art from Central Connecticut State University and in Economics from Fairfield University, followed by an MFA in painting from the University of Hartford in 2009, under the mentorship of Stephen Brown. As a working professional, Balkun participated in a mentorship critique with Barbara Grossman for several years and completed a studio residency at the Farmington Valley Arts Center (Avon CT) in 2012 and at Drop Forge and Tool (Hudson NY) in 2017. She was also commissioned to create installations for City Wide Open Studios 2012 (ArtSpace New Haven), and for PARK(ing) Day Hartford 2013, 2014, and 2015 (Greater Hartford Arts Council and the Knox Parks Foundation). She has earned numerous awards and was selected to be an exhibiting artist for Art on the Streets Hartford (GHAC) for 2017 and 2018. Balkun teaches at the CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts High School and works out of her studio and home in West Hartford CT.
Statement: Anita Gangi Balkun approaches visual storytelling by juxtaposing recycled or found objects with other materials and transforming them into unexpected forms. Upcycling is an important component in her process, which reinterprets each object with a new reality, a new story, a new life. Her straightforward use of materials “as is” allows the sculptural aspect of the artwork to highlight with integrity the extraordinary qualities of the found objects. There is excitement in the search, the discovery and “what if” of found objects as Balkun uses the history or journey of the object as a springboard to its newly emerging form. Balkun’s artwork is an extension of her interest in history, family, and the beauty of odd objects developed into "book-inspired" pieces. The past and present are bound together as the narration continues.
Statement: Anita Gangi Balkun approaches visual storytelling by juxtaposing recycled or found objects with other materials and transforming them into unexpected forms. Upcycling is an important component in her process, which reinterprets each object with a new reality, a new story, a new life. Her straightforward use of materials “as is” allows the sculptural aspect of the artwork to highlight with integrity the extraordinary qualities of the found objects. There is excitement in the search, the discovery and “what if” of found objects as Balkun uses the history or journey of the object as a springboard to its newly emerging form. Balkun’s artwork is an extension of her interest in history, family, and the beauty of odd objects developed into "book-inspired" pieces. The past and present are bound together as the narration continues.