Malnourished Humanity
a series of work by Denise Hapke
Opening March 6th 6-10PM
BFF Gallery 5901 Maple St.

Malnourished Humanity is a series of work focusing on the most hidden and grotesque parts of humanity. As humans in competition for who lives the best life, we tend to only share the beautiful, the perfect, but the reality we all live tells a different story. This series accepts that story, bringing the real world to light and forcing viewers to confront the discomfort of everyday life, of feeling that pain and unease on a level they may never have been forced to, to simply tell the story of humanity in its truest form: meager and malnourished.

Artist Statement

I often feel the need to preface my art, that “it’s just not for everyone.” That it will make you question humanity, that it will purge painful, embarrassing feelings you probably didn’t know existed. I remind myself that catharsis only happens on close examination of finite details, on reading the agony of every piece’s statement, on truly experiencing each piece.

On the outside, my work can be quite beautiful. It doesn’t need a preface. It’s simply about being human. I find solace in exploring the things that we feel make us human. The torturous emotions come from using parts of humanity we often find deep pain in, pass by altogether, or forcibly ‘shove under the rug.’

Having a body with invisible ailments, and being a woman, I know these parts of humanity all too well. My work has a personal story that thousands of others find comfort in, knowing their story is being told too.

The most important issue in humanity to me is that of basic human rights, that of being heard and seen. An issue many avoid in hopes of maintaining the peace. I strive to disrupt the peace. To tell the stories of the invisible and encourage widespread destigmatization and change.

Recreating the tiny things that make us human through clay, oil, and acrylic paints, or through a mixture of obscure mediums. I create every detail, every layer, every aspect with intent, to create a cohesive story throughout my works, one full of torture and affliction, yes, but an honest one.

A true, honest depiction of ‘Humanity at its Finest.’

Artist Bio

Denise Kapke grew up in a small town in Eastern Nebraska in a low-income household. She graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with her BFA, where she had the opportunity to grow, develop, and exhibit her artwork.

She was born with multiple chronic illnesses. That, combined with the experience of living in a household marked by abuse, financial difficulties, bullying, and the challenges of a decaying world, contributed to mental illnesses that she still battles today. However, these experiences strengthened her desire to create art and to connect with other humans in a deeper, more meaningful way.

She has found solace in her pain by recreating it, along with the lived pain of millions of others, through various forms of art: ceramic sculptures, paintings, mixed media, and unconventional combinations of materials.

She creates to connect with humanity, to ensure no one feels alone in their discomfort, and to relieve herself of the lonely torture of human experience. Her work explores themes of civil unrest, corruption, despair, suppression, and the annulment of basic human rights.

She also creates work focused on the more beautiful aspects of humanity, including dinnerware meant to be shared with family, landscape paintings, and ceramic ware for daily use. The juxtaposition between her subjects ultimately elevates her creative work.

Instagram: dennysartnstuff
Website: dennysartnstuff.com