Artist Statement
My artistic practice is focused on the intricacies of relationships, and how they do not exist in isolation to one another but are constantly evolving in tandem. I am interested in examining the world around me through the lens of relation rather than as a collection of discreet ideas. For whether it be a concept, a place, the living, or the inanimate, we are all connected. The world is not as big as we think. We are built to be self-centered, driven by instinct, programmed to serve ourselves to survive. However, in relation to what surrounds us, we are insignificant, merely blind to our disproportion in size and impact to what else is out there. My work is about defining and exploring these connections in order to better understand my own experiences.
The process of my work originates from my thoughts: what keeps me up at night, what I struggle to grasp, and what propels me to make a difference. This largely includes the human impact on the natural world in both destructive and constructive contexts, and the arduous, ironic task of self-understanding. However as thoughts are only as valuable as the actions that are taken, my work involves research and introspective reflection of the topic I choose to express. Carefully reconsidering my own perspective and opinions to that of others, I use art to spotlight the problems and struggles that exist around me, and to convey the relation of the subject to the audience, to society, and to myself. Through this process, the form of the piece comes to life organically. I select the medium that best captures the message of the piece and all of its subtleties that often cannot be expressed through words.
As I believe art is a constant morph of purpose and perspective, I use art not only to highlight problems and struggles, but to hold a mirror to the viewers—to place them in the shoes of others. To invoke an emotional response to themselves rather than others, for my work often presupposes that empathy is a more powerful tool than sympathy. I seek to provoke the audience, to challenge their understanding and preemptive knowledge, to realize that they are not disconnected to what is happening around them. With art, I hope to instill a sense of disturbance to create the momentum for change.