Silian Gallery is delighted to present MAMMA, a solo exhibition by Kimi Zoet, featuring works created during her walks in the Cornish landscape over the past two years. It was during these quiet hours in the open air — among wild grasses, shifting skies, and salt-soaked wind — that a story began to take shape. Two characters emerged: Mamma, a bird-like figure of strength and unwavering care, and Pineapple Person, a tender, symbolic version of the artist herself.
In this imagined world, Mamma watches over Pineapple Person with a love that is steady and full — the kind that shelters without needing walls. She is both mythic and familiar, born not from fantasy alone, but from something felt: a sense of being held, guided, protected. Through the changing seasons and repeated returns to the same landscapes, this quiet relationship unfolds in gestures, glances, and colours carried by the wind.
Storytelling is central to Kimi Zoet’s practice — with each place she encounters, a new figure often rises. MAMMA is a more intimate tale, rooted in one particular stretch of time and terrain. It speaks of a bond that feels eternal, yet weightless; of how we learn to move through the world under the gaze of someone — or something — that loves us into being.
And perhaps, within this tale, there is also a kind of sanctuary. Not the kind built with bricks or boundaries, but one made of presence, attention, and trust. A place we carry with us. A feeling that stays long after we’ve left the shore.
ABOUT THE ARTIST |
Kimi Zoet is a British artist and storyteller whose work blends abstraction, impressionism, and illustration to create tender, emotionally resonant worlds. Rooted in place and shaped by personal experience, her paintings often begin during long walks and quiet moments of observation. Through this process, fictional characters emerge — each one a symbolic response to the emotional and environmental landscapes she encounters. Her recent work follows the story of Mamma, a maternal, bird-like figure of strength and quiet generosity, and Pineapple Person, a playful self-portrait, reflecting themes of care, memory, and belonging.
Narrative and world-building are central to Zoet’s practice. Each body of work becomes a self-contained realm, holding its own surreal logic and emotional truths — soft yet abundant, like the pages of a dreamlike storybook. Her process begins with attentive observation but ultimately moves outward: as a gesture of connection, as a gift, as an offering to the people and places she loves.
Zoet holds an MA in Illustration and Authorship with Distinction from Falmouth University, where she is currently pursuing a practice-led PhD. Her work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions across the UK and internationally, including at Planque (London), PADA Studios (Portugal), Safehouse (Peckham), Waterton Gallery (London), and Maverick Projects. In 2022 she was selected as an Adidas Artist in Residence, and in 2020 she was shortlisted for the Visual Art Open Prize.
Her commissioned projects include work for Harrods x Samsung, East Village London, Cranleigh School, and Anima House. Through both her independent practice and collaborations, Zoet continues to explore how painting can offer emotional storytelling — quiet, generous, and deeply human.
Exhibition on view from 10th July to 12th September 2025
Opening Drinks on 10th July 205 6 - 8PM
JOIN US FOR OPENING DRINKS |