Velvet Other World, the collaborative duo of Josh Allen and Katrina Pisetti, explores the human figure, adornment, and narrative through highly detailed monochromatic charcoal works. They create ghostly, layered silhouettes that investigate the dynamics of concealment, display, and protection, transforming the body into a site of both vulnerability and empowerment. Their approach emphasizes the material and symbolic power of costume, using intricate ornamentation to highlight the transformative potential of clothing and self-presentation. The artists’ process draws on a shared background in printmaking and a keen sensitivity to surface, texture, and composition. By layering charcoal and manipulating the paper’s surface, they create immersive, tactile images that evoke both physical presence and ethereal abstraction. Through these works, Velvet Other World interrogates the intersection of identity, ritual, and performance, considering how external adornments can mediate and amplify personal and collective narratives. Their art engages viewers in a dialogue about the body, protection, and transformation, offering a poetic reflection on how human figures negotiate visibility and power within imagined and symbolic spaces. ...
