Jessika Geranium (she/they) is an artist struggling, working and living in Toronto. They have just completed a BFA in Drawing and Painting from OCAD University. 

They have just finished their thesis where they are focusing on an impulsive and collage-based body of work deeply rooted in nostalgia and tactility. This body of work "“brain hurt, head ĕ̸̡̜͑m̴̥͎̂̄̅̎̓̚p̷̠͈̻̱̩̯̫̦͎̑͌̑̓͋ṭ̵̻̫͈̦̩̭̬͕̍y̶̹͛̈́̐̈̕͝” is a turbulent clutter of collage and kitsch acting as documentation of their neurodivergence.

" I work to depict thoughts and emotions abstractly through the format of iSpy games. I invite the viewer to take a step inside my mind to explore moments of nostalgia and tactility.

The works can be observed on multiple platforms to allow for different viewing experiences. It exists in a 3D scan: allowing the viewer to physically situate themselves in the space I live and work in. Embracing the chaos of my tiny, messy room and how it bleeds into my work. As well as a close-up video format: intimately twisting the way the work is absorbed to more closely resemble the way my brain functions.

Creating these pieces through my playful and explorative process has freed me from the crushing weight I felt working in the European canon of painting. By killing my aesthetic parents I have allowed myself to center my experiences in the work and prioritize my own well-being and joy.

Anyways, here’s Wonderwall."

Check out their work at GradEx here!