Sever 2020

Kayla Mahaffey's 'Sever' feels like it came into being through a playful mix of intent and chance, painted with flat color and soft gradients. It's a painting where a young woman with a katana stands amidst floating toys and monsters. I imagine Mahaffey in her studio, surrounded by toys and manga, wondering how to bring all these influences together. What does it mean to sever? Is it about cutting away the past, or protecting oneself from the chaos of childhood fantasies and fears? Look at how the records coil around the figure's legs. They are like memories, looping and twisting. The figure's gesture, her grip on the sword, communicates a feeling of determination. The sword implies a moment of cutting, as if to say "I will forge my own path." I see echos of Takashi Murakami and Kerry James Marshall in her work. Artists are in a constant conversation. Mahaffey embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings. It's an open question, waiting for our interpretation.