KELLESIMONE WAITS, Oakland based artist, has exhibited internationally including solo exhibitions curated by Sara Driver at SPRING/BREAK Art Show in New York, N.Y. and Los Angeles, C.A., exhibits at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, and “Antithesis” a solo exhibit at the Linder Gallery at Keystone College in La Plume, PA.
The female form and notions of femininity are a continuous focal point in my work as are physical, emotional, mental and allegorical transformations. I am exploring ideas of sexual freedom, shattered inhibitions, and bliss, as they can be related to: chemical intervention and altered or obscured identity. I am interested in possible ways to alleviate fear, how it ties into identity vs. anonymity, and its effects on female sexuality.
Astrobunnies are aliens who have come here to Earth bringing with them their culture of orgasmic bliss, and beauty. They proceed to forcefully eradicate any sort of negativity on Earth for their own selfish ends by literally feeding off of us. The Astrokitties then arrive and are trying to take over (also using our bodies as hosts, to better battle the Astrobunnies). But the culture of orgasmic bliss is so powerful that it is affecting the Astrokitties as well, altering their battle methods and states of mind. Instead of fighting to the death, they all begin to just wrestle and radiate together.
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Astrobunnies are transient parasitic creatures from outer space that travel around in rainbow light pods. They've decided to land and take up residence on our planet. Latching onto our heads and feeding off of our fears, our feelings of self loathing, and hatred, which they then process and use to produce a chemical that dumps into our system. This chemical causes us to feel peaceful, blissed out, and sometimes results in the host experiencing spontaneous orgasms.
The Astrobunnies can't feel anything on their own, that's why they need a host; in feeding on us they feel what we feel, good and bad. Over time, as they feed on us, our inherent emotions begin to fade, though we still experience the effects of the chemical.
In addition to wiping out our fears and negative emotions the Astrobunnies turn everyone into women. They feel that they're doing us a favor. Based on their apparent attraction to the female form, they think everyone would look better as a lady.
As they further populate the Earth the world begins to transform as well, becoming more and more magical, reflecting the euphoric state of it’s citizens. Sadly though, if the Astrobunnies were to leave us and move on to another planet, we would all die. As they’ve been feeding off of us we’ve come to be dependent on them as well, but to a greater degree. In draining the world of any sort of fear, pain or hatred and its consequences, everything’s been thrown off to such a degree that it cannot hold without the bunnies maintaining the balance. After they leave us we’re left as empty shells, wandering around aimlessly until we die from hunger and exhaustion because we lack the will to care for ourselves without any fear, joy, or anything in between, to drive us.
if you'd like to get in touch with me to you can over Instagram: @kellesimonewaits
or email: info@kellesimonewaits.com
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Astro Trash - curated by Sara Driver, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Astro Space World - curated by Sara Driver, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Astrokitty Space World, Laser Kitten, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Astrokitties and Astrobunnies: The Wrestle for World Domination - curated by Sara Driver, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, New York, NY
2018 Astrokitties: The Arrival, Tieken Gallery | LA, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Astrobunnies: The Visitation, Tieken Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2015 Transmutation, Project Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2013 Antithesis, The Linder Gallery at Keystone College, La Plume, PA
2011 What’s Your Power Animal? , Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
2011 Action Comics, Known Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Natural Selection, Perihelion Arts, Phoenix, AZ
2010 Venus Flytrap, Hibbelton Gallery, Fullerton, CA
2009 Power Plays, Frank Pictures Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
SELECTED TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2020 Psychosomatic - with Greg Haberny - curated by Sara Driver, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, New York, NY
2012 Williams – Waits, Smith Andersen North, San Anselmo, CA - With Franklin Williams
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 Now That’s What I Call Art About Music Vol. 1, The Dark Art Emporium, Long Beach, Ca
2022 Tiny Terrors Strikes Again, The Dark Art Emporium, Long Beach, CA
2022 Trash, The Dark Art Emporium, Long Beach, CA
2019 HELLO KITTY 45th Anniversary group show, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 PSYCHEDELIA Group Show, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 FANFARE - LA, Photo Independent, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Mistakes, Gallery ALSO, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Nude Survey 6, Sin City Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
2017 Sweet ‘n Low, Bedford Galley, Walnut Creek, CA
2015 Portal To The Future, Gregorio Escalante Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015 SCOPE with Project Gallery, Miami FL
2011 SCOPE with 101/exhibit, Miami, FL
2011 LAAA Group Gala, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Sounds Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
2010 Aqua10, with Perihelion Arts, Miami, FL
2010 Girls Don’t Count, Shadow’s Space, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Draw Tour, Museo De La Cuidad de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
2009 14 Artists New Image Art, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Home, ArtSpace 404, Santa Rosa, CA
2007 & Blue, A Street Gallery, Santa Rosa, CA.
2005 Bright Lights, A Street Gallery, Santa Rosa CA.
EDUCATION
Mills College
California College of the Arts
AWARDS
2011 Ralph Ducasse Endowed Scholarship, Mills College
