Artist Statement
Through exploration of Catholic iconography, queer history, and self-image, my creative practice largely seeks to reconcile adolescent trauma and create a queer “other” spirituality based in connection, confidence, and compassion. My practice acts as a conduit that allows me to explore and experiment with ideas that were deemed taboo in my childhood. By utilizing concepts of sexuality and eroticism, I have reclaimed and repurposed religious imagery through my mixed media work. Although I no longer identify with the Catholic faith, it is undeniable that the many years surrounded by religious iconography and Catholic culture have left a deep impression on my life. By inserting myself into appropriated Catholic images and environments, I create a cult of self - the synthesis and cultivation of self love and appreciation for the person I have grown to become.
Biography
Originally hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, Alex Blom’s studio practice centers on how religious institutions and childhood development have impacted his queer identity. Blom’s interdisciplinary work amalgamates deeply personal color palettes, self-image, art historical references, and LGBTQ cultural phenomenons to explore ideas that were deemed taboo in his childhood. By inserting himself and his ideologies into appropriated Catholic images and environments, he creates a cult of self whereby he can claim the symbology, characters, and motifs of the Catholic tradition.
Blom received his BA in Studio Art with Minors in Art History and Business Administration from the University of Denver in 2023 – where he was also a four-year NCAA Division I swimmer. His work has been included in exhibitions at the DU Vicki Myrhen Gallery, the Amarillo Museum of Art, the Sedona Arts Center, and the Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, MO. Blom currently serves on the Media and Marketing Committee with the Colorado Month of Printmaking (Mo’Print). He currently operates out of Art Gym Denver, where he completed a six-month residency in February of 2024.