_Hero Mentality,_ 2021. Charcoal on paper mounted on panel. 75 x 120 inches. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
Half Gallery (NY) presents a new exhibition by [Anna Park](https://www.annaparkart.com/), on view now until May 8th, 2021. As her first solo show with the gallery, she showcases a series of new, large scale charcoal works inspired by flowers, and the effect of the passing of time on them—the once fresh flowers slowly wilted, died, and dried up.
At only 24 years old, Park’s biggest achievements are winning the 2019 AXA Art Prize, and designing artwork for the Academy Award-nominated David Fincher film, _Mank_. Her work hovers between abstraction and figuration, representing interactions, people yelling, chaos…
_Flaunt_ talked to the artist about the exhibition, working with David Fincher, and the influence of the pandemic on her art.
_First Marriage_, 2021. Charcoal on paper mounted on panel. 60 x 72 inches. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
**What can we expect from your upcoming exhibition at Half Gallery?**
In my show, _Pluck Me Tender,_ I will be showing my newest body of work that I have been working on the past couple of months. This is the first time I have worked in this large format with multiple panels. It allowed me to get quite physical and active with creating some of the pieces; I was hoping the energy would be translated throughout the show, and have this feeling of being engulfed by the drawings that surrounds the viewer.
**Where do you draw inspiration from?**
I think I draw inspiration usually from experiences I am going through at the moment, and drawing is my only outlet in order to make sense of what I was going through. It can range from either current events I will draw from, or snippets of conversations with friends.
**What has been the biggest influence on your art style?**
I think initially my biggest inspiration had come from a lot of black and white photography and films. _Black Hole_ by Charles Burns also made a big impact on my work. The graphic nature of the way he designs the page as well as the ability to tell a compelling narrative really resonated with me. I would say my biggest artist inspirations at the moment are Cecily Brown and Julie Mehretu. Both, I find to share the idea of exploration and an intuitive process of making that I want to channel in my own practice.
_Intermission_, 2021. Charcoal on paper mounted on panel. 86 x 120 inches. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
**Walk us through the process of creating one of your pieces.**
In the beginning, I will go through photos and images I have been saving, then create a number of thumbnail sketches. That will give me a general idea of approaching the work. The initial passes will start very gestural and more abstract to create the structure and the narrative is conceived as the work goes on. This process has made the most sense to me, because I found that I was learning more about my own subconscious as the drawing was revealing itself onto the page.
**How was creating art for the David Fincher film, _Mank_?**
It was an incredible experience to be able work with David Fincher, Cean Chaffin, and Neil Kellerhouse for the film. I had already been a huge fan of Citizen Kane, and that had been one of the biggest influences in my earlier work, so it was a dream come true to be able to take part in creating a poster for the movie _Mank_.
**You play with the idea of momentary sensations reflected through dinner parties and people moving through crowds. How do you think your art has changed in this past year of solitude?**
It’s definitely put a new narrative and interpretation on these group scenes I depict in my work. It felt as though I was creating a time capsule from past experiences. I think, throughout last year, it made me more aware of how I retained memories of these social gatherings and moments.
_Now You See Me_, 2021. Charcoal on paper on panel. 60 x 75 inches. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
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