Adele Aproh – 2025


Primary Medium

Drawing

Address

Mack Art Foundation
38 Huron Street
Brooklyn, 11222

Artist Statement

My work explores layered, imaginary worlds filled with enigmatic figures who share self-referential traits yet possess distinct identities. Through body language, costume, and expression, I create characters immersed in richly patterned and theatrical environments. Often adorned in elaborate, carnivalesque costumes of my own design, these figures embody themes of transformation, cross-dressing, and duality—navigating the tension between exposure and concealment through masks, makeup, and prosthetics. The result is a vibrant interplay between identity and artifice, where each drawing invites multiple narratives and interpretations. Influenced by comic books, cartoons, fashion, and fleeting emotions, my imagery blends humor and bright, saturated colors to approach themes such as mourning, anxiety, childhood, and intimacy. The dense compositions—crowded, surreal, and at times absurd—unfold within the constraints of the page, often forcing figures to bend and contort within the space. Though fragments of personal experience inform my work, it resists autobiography, instead drawing from a wide array of visual and emotional references to create scenes that are both playful and psychologically complex.

Links

Website: http://mackartfoundation.org
Instagram: @aprohdite