annakoon
ABOUT ANNA

Growing up, Anna spent most of her time writing, drawing and dancing to her favorite alternative bands. In high school she won several awards for her art. She received her B.F.A. in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, concentrating primarily on photography and painting. Her interest in photography took her abroad to study for a semester at the Photography School of France. During her senior year at R.I.S.D she became renowned photographer Henry Horenstein’s teaching assistant.

Since college Anna has concentrated on painting. She has created several series over the years, including her infamous Women on Wood (1994-1996): a group of 6’ by 4’ mixed-media images guaranteed to make most men uncomfortable. After viewing Anna’s portfolio, an art gallery told her the work was way too disturbing for most art buyers. Anna could not have been more proud.

Recently Anna has created work for a wider audience. Her Japanese postcard series (2003-2004) was met with huge success, selling out over the course of a year. In 2005, the resurgence of 80’s punk and new wave fashion inspired Anna to begin working on her Retro Girls: a series of works on paper, salvaged wood and stretched canvas, depicting the stories of several girls in a gritty cityscape. Anna came of age in the 80’s, worshipping artists like Patrick Nagel, Chagall, Matisse and Andy Warhol, all of whom heavily influence her work.

Anna has exhibited all over the United States. In 2003, she won JANE magazine’s artist competition. Her work was featured on the front and back sleeve of their annual music compilation, as well as in the magazine and on their website.

Anna’s interests and talents stretch beyond the realm of two-dimensional art. She has worked on two independent films to date. For “Never Met Picasso” she created the artwork for one of the main characters. And for “Advice and Dissent” she assisted with wardrobe. In high school she fronted pseudo-band, The Slime Sluts and she was a go-go dancer for the Atlanta-based Valentino Epidemic. Currently she is working on two writing projects: a full-length screenplay and a novella. She is also gathering supplies (mostly found in the gutter) for her next series-an extension of Retro Girls called This Corrosion. She will begin this work in 2008.