Katie Butler: Bread and Butter

Katie Butler Showcases Her Allegorical Paintings in “Bread and Butter”

Akron Soul Train artist-in-residence Katie Butler presents “Bread and Butter,” a series of still-life paintings commenting on financial disparities in American society. Scenes of everyday spaces and objects, like a barn, a gingham tablecloth, or an American flag are framed in the background: small, obscured, and off at a distance. In juxtaposition, the foreground radically shifts in scale with a large table set with fine china, wine, and food delicacies. Butler uses this contrast to accentuate the income divide in contemporary American society and examine the difference in realities between the average citizen and those in power. Both boldly provocative and shrouded in disparity, Butler’s paintings seek to narrate the class climate in American society.

“With superficial notions of ‘bread and butter issues’ at the center of campaigns, the dinner table becomes a metaphorical stage for political theater. Objects symbolic of wealth, greed, and political power sit amongst the ostentatious displays of food, serving as reminders of who gets a seat at the table and how the system is designed to benefit them at the expense of others.” – Katie Butler

About the Artist Katie Butler:

Katie Butler is a painter based in Akron, Ohio. Her allegorical still-life paintings provide critical commentary on American politics. Her recent exhibitions include Abattoir Gallery, Cleveland, OH; Tuesday to Friday Gallery, Valencia, Spain; the Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, MI; Tchotchke Gallery, New York, NY; and Hashimoto Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA. Her 2023 solo presentation at HESSE FLATOW, New York, NY was featured as a “must-see” exhibition in ArtForum Magazine. Her work has appeared in other publications including New American Paintings, Juxtapoz, Canvas Cleveland, and the CAN Journal. Recently, she was awarded an Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant and participated in the inaugural Summer Artist Residency at Alfred University in Dusseldorf, Germany. Butler received her BFA from the University of Akron in 2017 and her MFA from Kent State University in 2021.

Opening reception to be held on Friday, July 12 from 5:00 - 7:30PM at Akron Soul Train Gallery