Biography
Sophy Naess(*1982) is trained as an oil painter and maintains an active multidisciplinary practice that includes weaving, writing, and various print based projects. Observational painting is a constant in her work, and in recent years, she has produced wall sized tapestries at the same time as creating albums of small format paintings on canvas.
Over the last decade she has explored the social contingencies of painted backdrops and murals; the temporality of book and album formats; costume design, multiples, and most recently, weaving and textile based installation.
Through her weavings she became increasingly interested in the affective qualities of the structure itself. Her work’s vocabulary has moved away from the representation of bodies and towards a deeper engagement with the expressive capabilities of the fibers themselves and the tensions they are subjected to.
In 2015, Naess established her Supporters Circle Editions. This initiative involves the creation of an edition of hand printed, hand colored silk scarves each month, which are then offered to collectors as a subscription. The scarves function as a kind of diary, recording both current events and personal anecdotes. The project is a testament to Naess’ interest in establishing a financially sustainable studio practice, with collectors committing to a uniquely supportive economic relationship.
Naess received her B.F.A from Cooper Union and her M.F.A from Rutgers University. She currently works between New York City and New Haven, Connecticut where she is a critic in Painting and Printmaking at Yale University. Recent exhibitions include solo shows at 17 Essex (2018); The Middler (2017) and 321 Gallery (2016). Her work has appeared in group shows at Hercules, The New School, Chapter NY, and Matthew Marks Gallery in New York City. She has been artist in residence at the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP), NY; The Shandaken Project, NY; The Brooklyn Arts Council's SU CASA program at the Bay Ridge Senior Center inBrooklyn; The Range, Colorado; and Sikås Art Center, Sweden.