Katya Neptune

Written by Cassie Mckenzie, curator, M.A. in museum studies.

Katya Neptune is an accomplished contemporary painter, sculptor, and installation artist with a rich and deep artistic practice rooted in Florida. Significant achievements, including residencies, awards, and a prolific exhibition history, mark her career. Since 2009, Katya has been actively exhibiting her work, with numerous solo exhibitions such as Echoes Unveiled and An Amalgamation of the Past and Present, both hosted at the Arts Warehouse in Delray, FL. Her art has also been featured in a multitude of group exhibitions, including In Situ at Arts Warehouse, DOT, LINE, SURFACE, FLORIDA at Channel 12 in Incheon Chinatown, South Korea, and Go Green at Bailey Contemporary Arts in Pompano Beach, FL. Notable recognition includes a People's Choice award at the Arts United Summer Showcase in 2023 and an Honorable Mention at the Miami Dade College/Hialeah Art Gallery in the same year. Her artistic contributions extend beyond exhibitions, as she curated several shows, including Memento Mori / Memento Vivere at Ginger's Gallery/Restaurant in Oakland Park, FL, in 2022. Alongside her exhibition and curation efforts, Katya has also participated in various residencies, such as the Arts Warehouse in Delray, FL, since 2023.

Through her art, Katya delves into the depths of identity, memory, and culture, encouraging viewers to contemplate the complexities of the human experience. Her sense of immersive interpretations continue to inspire and provoke reflection. Katya’s art encompasses many different styles and mediums, including painting, sculpture, and installation. Known for her bold use of color and form, she creates vibrant and dynamic compositions and spaces. Katya uses her surroundings in South Florida to explore thematic climaxes. The art has a reputation for conceptual depth and emotive qualities, compelling viewers to dwell on metaphors and symbolism in order to think about their own human experiences. She frequently incorporates elements of nature and often invokes visual stimulation through bold lines, found objects, use of patterns, and the manipulation of light.

Pneuma (pictured above) confronts the societal stigma associated with mental health using monofilament, a door, a fishing line, and audio. The installation serves as a starting point for reflection and empathy, intensifying the interconnectedness of human experiences. Viewers are invited and tempted to physically move through the gallery space and interact with the leaves, symbolizing a journey of exploration and introspection. The audio, paired with the delicate hanging foliage and striking red door, creates a serene and spiritual environment. The lighting in the space beautifully creates dancing shadows along every wall, adding a new dimension to the installation which contemplates nature, curiosity, and introspective thinking. “Pneuma” conveys a vulnerability encouraging others to explore the inner self through motion and reaction to intricate design.

Give Me Rest (pictured above) derives from Katya’s Abstract Mapping series. Katya uses topography in the work to connect to her physical, emotional, and spiritual self. These maps draw from directions and distinctions between distant space and locations in relationship to the artist. Give Me Rest uses distorted linearity and bold, high contrast colors to explore such notions.

Katya Neptune dynamically explores breaking down the stigma against mental health using bold symbols and immersive experiences. With a varied application which moves through concepts of relationships with objects, nostalgia, and mysterious symbolism, she takes us on a journey through the psychological impacts living in contemporary society. The work remains personal, raw, and engaged with the state of mind as an autobiographical perspective as well as sharing experiences with outsiders.