About art
My Affordable Art: Cori Teague
Cori Teague is our newest recruit! She joins the team as Fair Director of Affordable Art Fair Austin which launches in 2024. To get to know her a little better, we sat down to discuss her favourite artwork purchase for our #MyAffordableArt series.
Cori Teague
Monday 17 July, 2023
My favourite artwork is called “A little twisted but never lonely” by Herakut, a dynamic artistic duo consisting of Hera, also known as Jasmin Siddiqui, and Akut, whose real name is Falk Lehmann. Herakut creates captivating murals and artworks that explore the complexities of the human condition, social issues, and the beauty of imperfection.
Hera brings a poetic and feminine touch to their collaborative works. She infuses the pieces with a dreamlike quality, often depicting vulnerable yet strong female characters.
On the other hand, Akut contributes a gritty and raw aesthetic to their creations. With a background in graffiti, his bold, expressive brushstrokes add a sense of energy and urgency to their collaborative pieces. Their collaboration is marked by a deep sense of empathy and an unwavering commitment to shedding light on important social issues. Their works often serve as a commentary on topics such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, urging viewers to reflect on the state of the world and consider their own roles within it.
Their murals can be found on walls in major cities around the world, captivating passersby with their powerful imagery and thought-provoking narratives. They have exhibited their works in prestigious galleries and museums, earning critical acclaim and a devoted following of art enthusiasts.
The piece is beautifully chaotic, and the different layering of colors create a stunning painting. I was immediately drawn to the image itself, but after looking at the piece longer and digesting the title, I felt drawn and connected to the painting. Representing medusa, the woman in the image feels calm and lost in thought. This powerful woman figure that we know in mythology is often represented as evil, powerful, and deadly, but the title leads to see a different side of her. One that is beautiful and maybe even a little sad.
I have always been drawn to figurative works, but my collection is heavily focused on figurative women. I have always been drawn to the human form having studied fashion for most of my life. When switching to the art world, I carried that love for the human form in a different way. As an artist myself, my pieces are very “tight” and organized, not very abstract or chaotic. This piece resonated with me because chaotic is not something I do well with my own art, therefore, I gravitate towards works I could not reproduce myself. This painting is not only beautiful, visually, its title connects me to the woman in the image.
I also purchased this piece as an investment. The artists were growing in their career, and I was at a place where I could start investing in artists. My collection begins with pieces that speak to me… because why own artwork that you don’t love?… but I do try to look into emerging artists who seem to be excelling in their careers.
This is my favorite piece I own and is the center of attention of my living space. I find something new that I love about it every time I’m looking at it.
Creating art in any form is such an incredible talent and is a talent that comes from the emotional side of the brain. If something speaks to you, that’s because the artist connected with it as much as you did. That’s far more important to our quality of life than making sure it matches your furniture.
The Affordable Art fair is a curated space for collectors or all stages. It’s an experience created to educate viewers, guide collectors, and ultimately let each person fall in love with something that speaks to them.