about
Biography
Atlas X Moon is a multidisciplinary artist from southeastern Kentucky who is graduating with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. She draws most of her inspiration from music, horror books, and the artist Shawn Coss, creating gruesome sculptures and wearables that draw from the gruesome nature of it all. As a gallery assistant, she has worked with many inspirational artists, such as Stacy R. Chinn and Diane Kahlo, who have had an impact on how she approaches art and the mediums allowed in the gallery space. Starting sculpture in 2023, Atlas has found a love of creating 3D works throughout her college career.
In 2025, Atlas was exhibited in the Art Student Association (ASA) Juried Student Exhibition at EKU Giles Gallery and the Power of Protest Inaugural exhibition at the EKU Powell Student Center, where she was awarded 2nd place for her piece Know Your Place. She was also awarded the Dick Mayo Allen scholarship at John Crabbe Library. In 2026, she was again exhibited in the ASA Juried Student Exhibition, the University Exhibition at LexArts, and In Solidarity at EKU Giles Gallery. She has also received the Distinguished BFA Award in Studio Art at EKU for the 2025-26 school year.
After graduation, she is relocating to another state and will continue working within the gallery field as both a curator and exhibitor. She hopes to one day become a founder of an accessible arts program for artists in poverty.
Statement
“Do you think Atlas looks at the Moon and wishes for his burden to lighten?” - N.K.
The Doll People is a series of works that invites people to relate and find comfort, while offering morbid voyeurism for those who don’t, almost acting as an invitation to an alternate reality that very much exists. I often find it very difficult to express how deeply I actually feel. As a result, I’ve found that each piece of mine acts as an abstract self-portrait. There is something intimate about sculpting and decorating a body that mirrors my own, morphing a medium to represent exactly how my mind and body feel. The use of clay and copper tangentially grounds the work and uniquely represents complex ideals.
I’m torn about putting women’s bodies on display, but their nakedness expresses a quiet, confident vulnerability that reflects the unguarded nature of my work. Specifically, Tender Flesh represents this contending intention best. That vulnerability is something I knew I needed when I was younger, and I sought it out in other artists. A couple of years ago, when my work was displayed in my nana’s therapy office, she would often tell me how it has helped her patients express their difficult emotions. Those conversations have pushed me to not shy away from representing these intricate ideals publicly.
The Doll People purposefully rides the line of objectification and awareness. The title derives from a song by Sofia Isella with the same name. While my work is not representative of the song, its ideals mirror issues that inspire me to create. Most of these works were also inspired by my personal feelings on the continuous dehumanization and criminalization of women’s autonomy. After certain events in recent years, I felt the need to protest in my own way.
There is an endless list of reasons why I hide behind an alias. The shield of anonymity gives the protection necessary to express myself fully, especially considering the activism and vulnerability of my work. I don’t want to be targeted for my ideals, and I don’t need people to connect my work to who I am.