Sam Kissajukian: Artist Statement & Bio

This exhibition is a selection of works from Sam’s touring exhibition of paintings made after his diagnosis in 2022. Sam uses painting as a visual communication tool to depict the ineffable mental states associated with Bipolar manic and depressive episodes.

Liminal Wimmelbild, 2023

“Here’s something I regret. This painting was my attempt to show the relationship between anxiety and avoidance. The landscape is populated with all the thoughts and ideas you have when moving towards a goal. The sky is where you hang anything not related to your goal, to do later. Eventually, the landscape of your mind reaches a saturation point and your “to do list” in the sky becomes full. You become acutely aware of the weight hanging over you so avoid looking up, but your mind is so overpopulated that the anxiety is overwhelming. You think, “If I can just get to my goal then everything hanging over me won’t matter.” Soon, the joy of the goal withers away and the sky becomes so heavy that it collapses onto you in an apocalyptic mental disaster, and that’s when anxiety meets avoidance.

I understand this description is too intense for a wall label. So, when I first exhibited this work, I just wrote “Where’s Wally”. One day a man came up to me and said, “I’ve been searching for 4 hours and I can’t find him”. I paused awkwardly, long enough for him to scream, “Nooooooooo!” and storm out. So, that’s something I regret. But, who knows, maybe he’s there.”

Sam Kissajukian (38) is a comedian and self taught visual artist based in Sydney who's been working professionally as a stand-up comedian for over a decade.
 
In 2021, Sam stopped performing due to a 5 month Bipolar manic episode. In this prolonged episode he made 300 large paintings, documenting his mental states daily. In mid 2022, after recovery, diagnosis and treatment, Sam began performing again as well as holding his first solo exhibition.
 
Since 2022, Sam’s practice uses a ‘two tier approach’ incorporating storytelling techniques mixed with spoken word and comedic examination of his visual art and practice paired with a curated exhibition. Together these represent broad exploration of the artistic process, mental health and its ties to creativity.

In the just two years from first exhibiting, Sam’s been invited to hold solo exhibitions at arts institutions spanning Adelaide’s Immersive Light & Art, two exhibitions at Brisbane Powerhouse, Melbourne’s Trades Hall, Maitland Regional Art Gallery and this August at Summerhall UK. This two year exploration merging art and comedy to explore Bipolar has resulted in Sam winning 8 major arts festival awards around Australia including the award for Best Solo Exhibition at Adelaide Fringe 2024
 
Sam’s current exhibition will be featured at Stanley Street Gallery as part of ABC’s show “The Art of…” that showcases and interviews artists about their process.