Bio:

Joe Klaus is an interdisciplinary artist living and working in Philadelphia, PA. Joe has been creating since childhood, experimenting with painting, photography, and mixed media, which continue to influence their work today. Their work follows themes of memory and both personal and queer identity. They attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), graduating in 2018 with a BFA in Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design and a minor in Art History. Joe has shared their irreverent conceptions across the country in various group shows and had their first solo show, Past Conversations, in early 2022. They are a member of 3rd street Gallery, an artist co-op in Philadelphia, where they live with their partner Clay and two cats, Manolo and Margo.

Statement:

My work explores themes of sexuality, identity, and memory, and the ways our experiences shape how we understand ourselves. I’m drawn to people and the environments they live in, often approaching them as an observer and questioning where I belong within that world.

The people and places in my work are often pulled from memory, and they rarely stay true to how I remember them. I give myself space to explore them. I change, combine, and reimagine them until they become something new. Through them, I have a way to explore sexuality and queer identity, as well as my own relationship to the people and environments around me.

My practice moves between painting, photography, collage, and mixed media, often combining techniques depending on what I’m exploring. Regardless of the medium, the physical process of making is central to my work. I find meaning in the process, from choosing the weight of a canvas and applying gesso to folding and stapling a zine.

See more on Instagram.