lilvswagprincess
VERONICA CLEMENTS
Born, lives, & works in Chicago, IL
I see my work as both a critique and a celebration of modern culture. My work deals with the theme of vanitas, which is a 17th century Dutch genre of painting that uses symbols of transience and impending death to warn against earthly vanity and pleasure.
I see my paintings as curiosity cabinets of pop culture and girlhood, and I focus on brevity of life as a symbol of childhood. I don’t want to warn anyone against earthly pleasures in exchange for piety, I see it more as a true reflection of what it means to be an artist. The trivial pursuits of man become the plight of the artist as they strive to make a name for themselves.
Just like everyone is constantly trying to relive their childhood, I am attempting to collapse my past into my future. I modernize 17th century icons using plastic butterfly clips instead of real butterflies and a piggy bank skull instead of a real one. Glass objects that symbolized an artist’s ability to capture light have transformed into glittery bongs in my paintings.
This new set of symbolism combines references from childhood with pop culture references. Through this process, I am collapsing and reclaiming these histories so they exist simultaneously although briefly, providing viewers with a different set of pop-imagery that is centered around girlhood and the power that can come from that.
Displaying my female identity through investigative collections, I reveal and critique the notions and expectations that gender biases have perpetualized throughout history. Serving my audience with researched concepts and ideas on a hot pink platter, I deal with the theme of validity through violent femininity. I see my work as an expression of a justified autonomy, it’s an illustration of coming of age with the notion of agency.
CV
veronica.clements.art@gmail.com
EDUCATION
BFA Painting & Art History - University of Illinois ‘18
Museum Studies Certificate - Northwestern University ‘22
Masters of Science in Leadership for Creative Enterprises - Northwestern University ‘23
GRANTS & AWARDS
2021 - Juror's Choice Award - Evanston + Vicinity Biennial
2018 - James R. and Dorothy Shipley Award for Most Outstanding Graduating Senior
CURATIONS
2024 - Our Delicate Armor - Stasia’s Gallery - Chicago, IL
2023 - Tickled Pink - Woman Made Gallery - Chicago, IL
2023 - Hot Pink Platter - A.I.R. Gallery - Glencoe, IL
2022 - Dreamscape Diaries - Bridgeport Art Center - Chicago, IL
2018 - Radical Optimism - Campground 4 - Urbana, IL
2018 - Littorally - Campground 4 - Urbana, IL
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Pinky Promise - Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL
EXHIBITIONS
2024 - Our Delicate Armor - Stasia’s Gallery, Chicago, IL
2023 - Hot Pink Platter - A.I.R. Gallery, Glencoe, IL
2022 - Age of the Bimbo - Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
2022 - Elgin Fringe Fest - Side Street Studios, Elgin, IL
2022 - Dreamscape Diaries - Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL
2021 - Words Matter - The Art Center, Highland Park IL
2021 - Evanston + Vicinity Biennial - Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL - Juror’s Choice Award
2020 - LOSS, A Virtual Exhibition - Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
2020 - Collectively Shifting - Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL
2019 - Pop Art 2.0 - The Art Center, Highland Park, IL
2019 - Heffy Bleeding Out Listening Party - Chicago, IL
2019 - Support Your Local Homies - Chicago, IL
2018 - Krannert Art Museum BFA Show - Champaign, IL
2018 - Selfish - Champaign, IL
2018 - LilVSwagPrincess Solo Show - Women's Resource Center, Champaign, IL
2018 - Space For the Mind - Champaign, IL
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Annette LePique, “Our Delicate Armor”, New Art Examiner, September, 2024
Annette LePique, “A Girl Thing: A Review of Pinky Promise at Evanston Art Center”, NewCity, August, 2023
Jasmine Ledesma, “All That Glitters: Veronica Clements’ Paintings Recall Girlhood in Screaming Color”, NewCity, December, 2020
ORGANIZATIONS
Chair - Young Women’s Caucus for Art
Social Media Manager and Board Member - Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art
Board Member - East on Central