Carolanna Parlato

Carolanna Parlato is a contemporary artist who has exhibited widely in New York City and throughout the U.S. since the 1990s. Her paintings have been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Art in America, The Boston Globe, Artcritical, ArtNews, Two Coats of Paint, The New Criterion, White Hot Magazine, and The Brooklyn Rail.

Her solo exhibitions include the Islip Art Museum, the Phatory (NYC), Elizabeth Harris Gallery (NYC), and Morgan Lehman Gallery (NYC). She has also participated in group exhibitions at Galerie JoLi (NL), Asya Geisberg Gallery (NYC), Garvey Simon (NYC), The Drawing Center (NYC), and the Brooklyn Museum, among others.

Her works are part of public collections such as the Brooklyn Museum; ArtBank Collection (DC); The Library of Congress (DC); Public Art for Public Schools (NYC); the Francis Greenburger Collection (NYC); the Islip Art Museum; Capital Group; New York Presbyterian Hospital; and the Art in Embassies Program, US Dept. of State, Guatemala City.

Parlato earned her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.


Artist Statement

In my art, I fuse elements of nature, memory, and abstraction to create works that delve into the interplay between internal and external worlds. My process, starting with paint pours, allows forms to emerge organically. I photograph the works in progress and then manipulate them digitally to explore variations in color and shape. The addition of hand-painted elements and gelatinous pours further enhances the tactile and sensory qualities of my paintings.

The biomorphic shapes that emerge evoke both natural forms and the human body, introducing layers of complexity and meaning. This dual interpretation encourages viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, blurring the boundaries between external realities and internal experiences. The feminine quality of the paintings further enhances this exploration, hinting at themes of identity, emotion, and the nurturing aspects of nature. My use of keyed-up color and robust linearity points to many facets of popular culture, including advertising, design, comic books, and animated cartoons.

My artistic practice is an exploration of the intersections between nature, memory, and abstraction, inviting viewers to engage with themes of identity, emotion, and the interconnectedness of the human experience. The paintings reflect a deep engagement with both the materiality of paint and the conceptual framework of abstraction, resulting in works that are visually engaging, conceptually rich, and emotionally resonant.


www.carolannaparlato.com