Student Photography Spotlight: Katie Bykowski’s “Body of Work”

On Friday April 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., graduating seniors of the UWM Photography program will present in their final exhibition entitled “Theseus.” The exhibition showcases the thesis work of six emerging artists whose work pertains to the idea of identity and change over time. The exhibition will be housed at Live Artist Studio, located at 228 S. 1st Street, Suite 302. This week the Fringe is proud to publish the work of these burgeoning artists beginning with senior, Katie Bykowski.

Katie Bykowski: “Body of Work”

The project titled “Body of Work,” stemmed from my own curiosity of what recovery from my eating disorder meant to me. Though I have not acted on my negative thoughts for almost two years now, the fact I was still having these thoughts made me question if I actually beat my eating disorder. What does recovery from this disease mean? Then my interest began to shift outside of myself, and I wanted to know how others who are in the process of healing, considered themselves recovered defined their convalescing. Through calls on social media, I came in contact with many brave, smart, and beautiful people who all wanted to become a part of my photographic work. Over many months I got to know these individuals on a very deep level; getting to know their story, meeting their families, and going to their homes. As a group, we have concluded recovery holds a multitude of meanings; it is a process, and is unique from one person to the next. We are continually redefining our definition of normal, and always striving to accept the best versions of ourselves.

Katie Bykowski is a Milwaukee contemporary artist who makes photos, paintings, installations and mixed media artworks. She will be receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in Photography from Peck School of the Arts this May. Bykowski has exhibited her work all throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, as well as San Diego. With a conceptual methodology; Bykowski approaches a wide scale of subjects, but has recently been focused on eating disorders and recovery in Western culture.