Embedded Files
The "Modern Reality" Collection
Select pieces on displayed at the Dittmar Memorial Gallery at the SITE x Dittmar Anniversary Exhibition
This collection began with an exploration of modern media and the truth behind their tinted and capitalistic renditions of reality. The piece "Sway" is an examination of the endless flux of nature at the hands of humanity, an undulation in and out of stability powered by the harsh human machine of "progress". The piece utilizes semi-transparent lighting gels to give a frame-by-frame progression to the saplings sway. The soft and natural background of puzzled collage pieces and soil is contrasted with the sharp mechanical industry of the foreground. Within "Tinted" I created a self-portrait of sorts that aims to highlight the violence of our society against nature and one-another. To accomplish this the lighting gels return, overlaying a darkened assemblage of carefully selected images that are shaded into the background. The overall idea of the piece highlights the colorful lens we tint disaster with in our world, highlighting the exploitation of disaster and misery for our own self-promotion. These ideals naturally progressed me into thinking about my home country: The United States...
Sway
Cardboard, Magazine, Lighting Gels, Darkroom Print, Aluminum Foil, Soil, Matte Medium, Acrylic
Tinted
Cardboard, Magazine, Lighting Gels, Darkroom Print, Matte Medium, Clear Tape, Foam, Acrylic
Push for Conservation
Cardboard, Magazine Clippings, Matte/Gloss Gel Medium, Paper, Charcoal, Acrylic, Interference, Ink
Within the United States, the media is increasingly becoming a tool to exploit, erase, and misinform. The sheer quantity of hate that has been able to surface in a country built on foundational ideas of community and cultural exchange isn't surprising, but is notably ironic. Within "Push for Conservation" and "Church and State," I highlight the involvement of the public in these crises by having them become participatory. The former requires the viewer to push the stick through the cardboard and expel the American LGBTQ+ figures therein. In the latter, I present the work as double sided and allow it to be passed around the exhibition space. Allowing people to physically interact with the work highlights their involvement. No political opinion in this age is a political opinion, these works attempt to emphasize that.
As for "United We Stand," this piece emphasizes the existence of LGBTQ+ people and iconography throughout American history. One cannot exist without the other, thus vintage americana images are stained with the original Gilbert-Baker Pride flag, and vintage LGBTQ+ images are stained with the American flag.
United We Stand
Cardboard, Paper, Acrylic, Matte Medium
Church and State
Wood, Acrylic, Vinyl
The final piece in the collection is another interactable object, this time in the form of a daily pill dispenser for PrEP medication. This object is deeply queer in its function, historical significance, and utilization of bingo cards from a session of drag bingo. That said, I also wanted to draw attention to the larger scheme of American healthcare, where vital, life-saving medication can become a game of profits. Perhaps, if one is lucky in this society we call our own, you'll one day shout "bingo" and watch all of your problems trickle down to those less lucky...
The America Game
Descovy Pill Container, Bingo Sheets, Hot Glue
Alebrije
This concept model for a character is constructed using a wire frame, paper mache, and acrylic paint. My Alebrije combines elements of a bat, octopus, jellyfish, and human. Many of these animals have a mystic danger assigned to them, often regarded for their beauty and associations with darkness, whether the night or the open ocean/ocean floor. I chose to include humans as we often act as if we are not animals ourselves, giving ourselves a status above them. A mindset I find to be a critical factor in the deterioration of the environment. Throughout this project I both deepened my love for exploring cultural arts from around the globe, and for the creation of unique and detailed creatures and characters.
Alebrije's are fantastical creatures popular in Mexican culture. Usually, Alebrije's depict a combination of two or more animals painted with intricate designs and bright colors. In folklore, Alebrije's serve as a connection to the spirit world, although they only became popularized around the 1940's.
Blessed Death and Sweet Nightmares
Cardboard, Paper, Acrylic, Matte/Gloss Medium
Other Projects
To the left are a series of collages I made exploring the ideas of the Greek underworld in relation to the goddesses Melinoë and Makaria. The pieces work in tandem to shape a journey through the afterlife, however, I often create abstract work, such as these, with the hope and desire that others will find their own meanings and stories in their design.
To the right is a sculpture I made as a mock-up for a larger piece. It is sculpted from flower foam and sealed with acrylic. In it I explored the ideas of negative space and how many opportunities lie within perspective.
Void
Flower Foam, Acrylic
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