Bio

Joseph Kameen is a painter based in South Carolina, where he is an associate professor of art at the University of South Carolina Aiken. Originally from Pittsburgh, he received his BFA in painting and sculpture from Boston University, and his MFA in painting from Indiana University Bloomington. Kameen’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including New York, London, Berlin, and Greece. His work has also been featured in a variety of publications, including Friend of the Artist, Emboss Magazine and PIKCHUR Magazine.

Statement

In my paintings, I explore the relationship between experience, memory, and identity. The factual events of our lives are constantly being distorted by desires and emotions, and as these experiences pass into memory they are tinted by our perceptions, and our sense of self is projected onto the reality around us. In my recent work, I highlight the room for self-reflection that can be provided by more closely examining the routine events, spaces, and objects around us, and the ways in which the gaps between memory and reality help reveal our inner selves. I invite my viewers to find reflections of their own thoughts and concerns in these scenes, similar to searching for meaning while recalling a dream.