Maya Kabat

Statements

Artist Statement

In an age increasingly dominated by digital experiences, my work returns to the physical, the tactile and the embodied. Through layered oil paintings and mixed media woven works, I explore how material presence can anchor us in space and time—rekindling a connection to our bodies and the environments we inhabit. 

My practice investigates color, structure and materiality through an intuitive, physically immersive process. Drawing on references to architecture, structures, bodies and landscapes, I create textured built surfaces that evolve through layering, remixing, and improvisation. Using thick oil paint applied with flat drywall tools, I build vibrant terrains of slabs, ridges and peaks that engage our sense of touch and proprioception, inviting the viewer into a sensory relationship with the work. 

In my woven mixed media paintings I repurpose studio remnants such as raw canvas and discarded wood panels, transforming leftover materials into new forms. Developed during the early days of the pandemic,, these works reflect on bodily vulnerability and the surreal warping of time. The weaving process introduces a language of frangmentaion and repair, challenging traditional painting methods while honoring slowness, sustainability and experimentation. 

Across both series, I am driven by a deep curiosity about how structure and improvisation can coexist. My work offers a space for sensory reorientation—a way to feel more fully present and connected to our material reality.

Land Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that the work documented here is created on the land where I live and work, currently known as Alameda, County, California. This is the unceded territory of xucyun (Huichin), the original landscape of the Chochenyo speaking Lisjan Ohlone people, the successors of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County, California. As such, I recognize and honor the original and current caretakers of this land, water and air, the Ohlone people and all of their descendants past, present and future. Please consider donating to the organizations listed below. 

For information please visit www.muwekma.org and Sogoreate-landtrust.org