Lauren Cohen constructs an artistic universe where control, power, sexuality, and violence are reoccurring themes. The forming and breaking down of 'the other' within any given society is at the core of her research. Having grown up (and out) of puritan New England, she connects historical events and characters to her own growth and development in order to form fictional mythologies.
By superimposing symbols, memories, reinventions, and artifacts of other eras and peoples onto contemporary ones and vice versa, she often stages figures and objects like props on a set. Cohen and her creations go through a process of existential inquiry, often illustrating the horrors of humanity. However, hope exists in her work as something closer to the word's origins: a curve (or bend). As the artist shifts and changes, so does her work.
She has been drawing a naked cartoon version of herself experiencing life and all of its challenges since moving to New York four years ago. Her drawings depict the trials and travails of a female artist's journey and her character grapples with the idea of success and existence. She sets out to create cohesive dioramas where her intricately constructed graphic novels become a framework for upcoming paintings, sculpture, and animation. Additionally, Cohen’s fourth novel is nearing completion.
