Come, See Me

Sharapat Kessler

A visual journal of 2022

I began the year by making collages representing personal and often ambiguous feelings on current events in my two widely different homelands, Kazakhstan and the US. Searching for scraps, shapes, and colors to capture this range of tangled emotions, I ventured into imagery and narratives from fairy tales and folklore to tell my own story. I found that the familiarity of those characters, grounding and inexhaustible in their interpretation, was the most genuine language to connect with others across international and linguistic borders. This visual journal is an invitation to a conversation between my creative process and myself.

Self Portrait
Conte on paper
17”x14”

Blue Marionette Painted paper, pencil 7"x5" — **Blue Marionette**
Painted paper, pencil
7"x5"

Blue Moon Painted paper, washi paper, glitter 5.5"x4" — **Blue Moon**
Painted paper, washi paper, glitter
5.5"x4"

But Clouds Got in My Way Painted paper, washi paper, pencil 5.5"x4" — **But Clouds Got in My Way**
Painted paper, washi paper, pencil
5.5"x4"

David and Goliath Painted paper, found paper, pencil 7"x5" — **David and Goliath**
Painted paper, found paper, pencil
7"x5"

Farewell Painted paper, found paper 5.5"x4" — **Farewell**
Painted paper, found paper
5.5"x4"

Flying Over the City Painted paper, found paper 5.5"x4" — **Flying Over the City**
Painted paper, found paper
5.5"x4"

Full Moon Painted paper, found paper 4"x5.5" — **Full Moon**
Painted paper, found paper
4"x5.5"

Green Marionette Painted paper, pencil 7"x5" — **Green Marionette**
Painted paper, pencil
7"x5"

Harlequin Painted paper, found paper 5.5"x4" — **Harlequin**
Painted paper, found paper
5.5"x4"

Ivan the Fool Painted paper, washi paper, pencil 5.5"x4" — **Ivan the Fool**
Painted paper, washi paper, pencil
5.5"x4"

Kite Runner Painted paper, washi paper, pencil 5"x7" — **Kite Runner**
Painted paper, washi paper, pencil
5"x7"

Night Priestess Painted paper, washi paper 5.5"x4" — **Night Priestess**
Painted paper, washi paper
5.5"x4"

The Blue Bird Painted paper, wrapping paper 5.5"x4" — **The Blue Bird**
Painted paper, wrapping paper
5.5"x4"

The Outcry Is Stuck in My Throat Painted paper 5"x7" — **The Outcry Is Stuck in My Throat**
Painted paper
5"x7"

This Is Love Painted paper, washi paper 5"x7" — **This Is Love**
Painted paper, washi paper
5"x7"

Tsvetik-Semitsvetik Painted paper 5.5"x4" — **Tsvetik-Semitsvetik**
Painted paper
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, chocolate foil wrapper, pencil 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, chocolate foil wrapper, pencil
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, chocolate foil wrapper, washi paper, found paper, pencil 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, chocolate foil wrapper, washi paper, found paper, pencil
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, found paper, washi paper, pencil 7"x5" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, found paper, washi paper, pencil
7"x5"

Untitled Painted paper, found paper 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, found paper
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, found paper 7"x5" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, found paper
7"x5"

Untitled Painted paper, washi paper, chocolate paper wrapper 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, washi paper, chocolate paper wrapper
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, washi paper, pencil 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, washi paper, pencil
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, washi paper 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, washi paper
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, washi paper 7"x5" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, washi paper
7"x5"

Untitled Paper collage 12"x9" — **Untitled**
Paper collage
12"x9"

White Marionette Painted paper, pencil 7"x5" — **White Marionette**
Painted paper, pencil
7"x5"

White Moon Painted paper, found paper, washi paper 5.5"x4" — **White Moon**
Painted paper, found paper, washi paper
5.5"x4"

Allez! Painted paper, found paper, pencil 5.5"x7" — **Allez!**
Painted paper, found paper, pencil
5.5"x7"

Atlas Painted paper, found paper, washi paper 5.5"x4" — **Atlas**
Painted paper, found paper, washi paper
5.5"x4"

Circus Painted paper, found paper 7"x5" — **Circus**
Painted paper, found paper
7"x5"

Earth Landing and Paper Airplane Painted paper, found paper, pencil 7"x5" — **Earth Landing and Paper Airplane**
Painted paper, found paper, pencil
7"x5"

Harlequins Painted paper, found paper, washi paper 5.5"x4" — **Harlequins**
Painted paper, found paper, washi paper
5.5"x4"

Hop! Painted paper, found paper, pencil 5"x7" — **Hop!**
Painted paper, found paper, pencil
5"x7"

Old Man with Dog Painted paper 7"x5" — **Old Man with Dog**
Painted paper
7"x5"

Requiem Painted paper, found paper, tracing paper 5.5"x4" — **Requiem**
Painted paper, found paper, tracing paper
5.5"x4"

Rug Painted paper, found paper 5.5"x4" — **Rug**
Painted paper, found paper
5.5"x4"

To Do List Painted paper, found paper 7"x5" — **To Do List**
Painted paper, found paper
7"x5"

Untitled after Caravaggio’s Magdalene Grieving Painted paper, found paper, tracing paper 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
*after Caravaggio’s Magdalene Grieving*
Painted paper, found paper, tracing paper
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, found paper, washi paper 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, found paper, washi paper
5.5"x4"

Untitled Painted paper, tracing paper 5.5"x4" — **Untitled**
Painted paper, tracing paper
5.5"x4"

Woman after Cecilia Beaux' Aunt Eliza Painted paper, pencil 5.5"x4" — **Woman**
*after Cecilia Beaux' Aunt Eliza*
Painted paper, pencil
5.5"x4"