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Artist Statement

Through the exploration of the personal and social impacts of prescription medications on the human condition, I have discovered that their side effects on myself and others are far greater than I had ever anticipated. The deeper I dig into my subconscious, the further back I find the origins of these impacts. Most of us are taught at a young age to take medicine when we don’t feel well for a stomach ache, headache, sore throat, fever, or even the imaginary boo-boo. As we age, we begin to reach for pills for other ailments or what may be deemed as ailments: weight, concentration, emotional stability, beauty, etc. In these teachings, we have unknowingly created habits, habits so ingrained that we don’t realize they’ve become a part of us. Whether it’s taking one pill a day for the occasional headache or completing a 30-day treatment, the act of reaching for the bottle, opening it, inserting the pill into our mouth, and swallowing has become a lifelong instinct.

 

​From these personal experiences, social interactions, media, and cultural influences, I create, I write, I perform, I question and I repeat.

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About

​Utilizing body adornment, installation, performance, and video, Kurzyniec explores new ways in which to express her opinions on the personal and social impacts of prescription medication on the human condition.

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Shannon Kurzyniec (b. 1984, Detroit, Michigan) is a jeweler, metalsmith, and social activist based in the United States. She is currently a Post Master’s Teaching Fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and a recent graduate of VCU's MFA program in the Department of Craft/Material Studies in Richmond, Virginia. Kurzyniec earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University in 2019, with a minor in Textile Design and concentrations in Jewelry/Metalsmithing and Fibers.

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During her undergraduate studies, she served as the Peer Mentor for the Gallery Learning Community, helping students understand the operations of galleries and navigate the broader art community. From volunteering in 2018 to becoming the lead instructor for the annual Mobile Arts workshops in 2019, she embraced her passion for creating and teaching art.

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While at VCU, Kurzyniec co-chaired the Ethical Metalsmiths Students Chapter, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible practices in jewelry and metalsmithing. Her recent exhibitions include the Radical Jewelry Makeover: Artist Project Pop-Up Exhibition (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA), Bring On the Gems(SNAG, Online Exhibition), and Truth or Dare (Adorn Axis, Brooklyn, NY). In addition, she was an invited speaker at the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference (Chicago, IL), representing the international juried exhibition and competition So Fresh + So Clean 2023.

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