Kat Wilson, alum of the University of Central Arkansas and current artist in residence on the campus, is a photogenic artist.
“My work focuses on portraiture and constructed environments, often made in close collaboration with the people I photograph,” Wilson said on her website.
Her work has been featured in major exhibits at places such as Arkansas’ Crystal Bridges Museum and the Momentary.
Gallery director, Dr. Rachel Trusty said, “Blending photography, sculpture, found objects and new media, Wilson creates immersive environments that invite audience participation.”
Wilson’s “Selfie Throne” at UCA was a part of America at 250 week, celebrating America’s semi-quin-cen-tennial, however this exhibit did not start off as popular as it is now.
Wilson started with a project called “Habitats.”
“In each habitat, I use a triangle composition, and I know I use the triangle because I know your eye will follow that triangle. I lead your eye with it,” Wilson said during her gallery talk at UCA, “The objects are chosen by the sitters to reveal the identity and values, the lived experiences, [which] deepens the meaning.”
Wilson started ‘Habitats’ in 2004 and has been commissioned, including by the Historic Arkansas Museum to do all of the Arkansas Living Treasures. Once COVID-19 hit she turned ‘Habitats’ into a quarantine social media trend.
“I simplified the formula immediately when COVID hit. I basically gave the assignment to everybody to do your own habitat and from your home while we’re in quarantine. It really picked up. People across the nation did it. Even people in other countries.” Wilson said.
Once selfies started to become popular, Wilson believed she needed to change how she comes to her art.
“It changed photography in major ways. And I felt it. I would do photo shoots and people didn’t listen to me like they used to. It used to be what I said was the word of God and all of a sudden, they were like, eh, I think I look better actually if I do this. You know, like I just lost control,” Wilson said.
Once Wilson realized the game had changed, she decided to come up with “Selfie Throne.”
“I’m like, okay, if you’re not going to listen to me, take your own damn photos. But I’ll control the light, I’ll control the vibe, and I’ll control the scene. So I came up with Selfie Throne,” Wilson said.
Selfie Throne was not a big hit right off the bat however.
Wilson said it was a slow roll.
She kept on with her ‘Habitat’ series and then decided to make a tv show.
“I talked Crystal Bridges into letting me do this thing called the All-Inclusive Show, a show for artists that you can watch, too. It started off just kind of in the hallway for two years. And I would just kind of heckle people and get them to come up, and we live-streamed it and get my art friends to do it with me,” Wilson said.
When this show didn’t take off how Wilson wanted, she went back to “Selfie Throne.”
She brought it with her through different art shows where the focus was actually on other art.
It finally started to take off after.
“People loved taking selfies on the Selfie Throne. It was just everywhere. I started to really pay more attention to it and think about it more. I realized it kind of did all the things that I wanted to do. It didn’t just have to be the static thing that just sat there,” Wilson said.
Since then Wilson has made “Selfie Thrones” including projection mapping and neon signs.
She also collaborates with other artists to help bring them to life.
The throne, which was patriotic in theme, included 250 items that show different aspects of America. Wilson enlisted the help of art advisor and appraiser Jennifer Carman to help with the objects. “That’s how we came to the United States of Selfies, a giant portrait we’re all taking together to celebrate the 250 years of America. Like it or love it, hate it, whatever. I call this the walk of fame or shame. Depends on how you see it,” Wilson said.
Learn more about Wilson on her website and stay up to date on future exhibits and events.
