Kassandra Leiva

About the artist

 

Kassandra Leiva’s work on figure drawing intends to uncover a certain vulnerability of the male body that makes it all the more beautiful in its totality. She attempts to uncover this vulnerability through poses of the body as well as its relationship to the unknown of the blank space. The poses are based on yoga positions which enhances her attempt at unraveling masculinity. Although yoga is often tied to a certain class and age of women,  here the male figure performs yoga, entering poses that place the body in visually unstable positions. 

 

Ms. Leiva recently graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Architecture. Her artistic work includes various media, although lately her focuses include acrylic painting, watercolor, ink, sgraffito, charcoal, and soft pastel. 

 

Why this show?

​In her words:

 

“I want to make a statement about social perceptions, presumptions, and stereotypes through the powerful medium of visual art. I wish to be able to sustain an active dialogue with other artists about masculinity, which I feel is a subject of many layers. Each artist may have a wildly different take and it is in the beauty of this cacophony that we may better understand such a complex subject.”