1xRun Thru Interview
Rosalina by Kukula
1xRun: Tell us a bit about this piece, is the original still for sale?
Kukula: This piece was created in May of 2009 using oil on MDF. The painting was shown at Dorothy Circus Gallery in Italy as part of my Sugar & Blood solo show that same year. This painting is sold.
1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about…
Kukula: I have a series of paintings which flowers, little trees and bushes grow out of my girls’ body, it symbolizes creation and creating art or life. I feel like it is very feminine, but I assume everyone creates something, so everybody can relate to this feeling.
1xRun: What is unique about this piece?
Kukula: Her expression. I feel like the colors are warmer and softer.
1xRun: Why should people buy this piece?
Kukula: Because they like it.
1xRun: We’ve talked previously about some of your fashion influences, has it always been a fascination of yours?
Kukula: Let me just add that she is wearing a Marchesa Couture skirt. I always loved fashion and clothing. I was dressing up like it was my birthday every day when growing up. Which made no sense where I grew up. It might have started out of boredom and loneliness, and some kind of escapism. I must have thought I was in a fairytale or something.
1xRun: Any new fashion inspirations you’ve been finding lately?
Kukula: Still obsessed with Chanel and Ulyana Sergeenko, but also Giambattista Valli. I love Couture the most because it’s fashion as art at it’s best. The designers show off their beautiful feathers. It’s not really stuff you can sell to anyone, just for a few extremist billionaires and I think there are like 4 of them in the world.
1xRun: You’ve moved quite a bit this last year, where are some of your favorite places that you have lived?
Kukula: I just moved to New Haven, Connecticut from Philly. My husband is a historian professor and he moves a lot for some reason. It’s cool to discover all the different parts of America. I’ve lived in this country for the past 10 years and I’ve been able to live in different places on the East and the West Coasts. Connecticut is really beautiful so I hope to be inspired by it more and paint more trees.
1xRun: How had things been going in Philadelphia for you?
Kukula: Philly was fun. I had an amazing loft but it had no walls and you can hear the neighbors very well. I didn’t find people there to be very friendly and it was hard having conversations there, so I wasn’t very sad to leave but it was a very cultured town with lots of ballet and concerts to see and some really good restaurants.
1xRun: Anything else we may have forgotten you want to touch on?
Kukula: Yeah, I want to add that you’ll see less boobies. Social media is going on a full on witch hunt and I seem to have lots of hater trolls who keep reporting my work. So, in order to share prints with 1xRUN I’ll have to make them family friendly. Sorry!
1xRun: What else do you have coming up in the next few months as summer wraps up?
Kukula: I finally have time to participate in some group shows with Thinkspace. I’m looking forward to it because I got a little tired of working on those big solo shows. Also working on some merchandise to put on my online store. I’m also coming out with a new workout video (No, not really. But if I did it would call “sleeping”).
1xRun: Any new shows or exhibitions coming up?
Kukula: My next solo show is June 2015 at AFA NYC. I’m excited, it’s an amazing space and I’ll have finally show on the East Coast.
1xRun: Where can we find you?
Kukula: Website – Facebook – Instagram @kukulaland
-1xRUN