Tune in for our conversation with artist Savannah Magnolia about her art practice and her Fairgrounds artwork, Love Birds.
Savannah curated the below selection of artworks to demonstrate the influence of her chemistry and neuroscience background on her art practice. Savannah often creates work that explores the body’s hidden psychology and subverts traditional anatomical drawings, challenging the viewer to question their perception of the human form by using bright hyper-saturated colors and stylized anatomical structures.
Savannah Magnolia, In Big Pharma We “Trust”, 2019, Acrylic on seven canvas panels
Savannah Magnolia, Inflammation, 2019, Acrylic on canvas
Scale plays a vital role in Savannah’s investigation of the connection between the body and the ideas of consumption and accumulation. She uses large scale landscapes or zoomed-in views of body parts such as a single eye to comment on themes including the pharmaceutical industry, the influence of technology, our disregard for the environment and the impact of western medicine on society.
Savannah Magnolia, Portrait of a “Perfect” Brain, 2019, Acrylic on canvas
Savannah Magnolia, Love Birds, 2020, Acrylic on canvas
Per Savannah, it is crucial to her process to maintain laboratory-like precision in her work including creating hard edges and bold graphics without the aid of tape or stencils. Her prominent, striking, flat elements purposely contrast with real-world representations of scientific subjects, allowing the focus to be squarely on how environmental factors impact the anatomical structure.
For her Fairgrounds project, the painting Love Birds, Savannah maintains her hard, graphic style while drawing inspiration from retro Florida motels and vibrant pink flamingos. With a nod to Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, the background features her signature eyeball flowers, passively watching and connecting with viewers as they experience the painting.
To view more of Savannah Magnolia’s work:
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