2020
Nothing and Then
This installation depicts the experience we are having now—more than this year as a whole, but in this specific moment—which includes seemingly endless suffering, trauma, and despondency. It also depicts how the trauma we are experiencing now will affect us as individuals, our society, and future generations forever.
The materials were all inspired by (and partially collected from) my daily walks around my cul-de-sac in the cold, under grey skies, and across broken blacktop.
Concrete structures: 7” in diameter
Larger structures: 2’ L x 1.5’ W x 2’ H
Chicken wire, burlap, gauze, plaster, drywall compound, dye, latex paint, cloth, thread, rope, chain, concrete, mortar, paper, hot glue, copper, blacktop, and moss.
Supernova
In this live performance, I considered connection in a broad sense. This piece is informed by astrophysics and acknowledges that we all were created the same way and we all share the same chemical elements as well as many of one another’s atoms—even atoms of those who are far away and of those who have passed.
concrete and a dark room
This live performance was about what it means to be ill and the lasting effects, then focused on trauma and the usual lasting effects that become mental illness.
diana, princess of wales
My sculpture comments on the neglect Princess Diana underwent while exploring how our societal norms led to her life experience and, eventually, her death—specifically, society’s expectations around gender and construction of fame. I combined a sculpture of her body with the wreckage of her accident. Diana’s story is usually told with a focus on her tragic death and her pain and issues that stem from people putting her up on a pedestal and stripping her humanity away were present since she was a child and never ceased to exist.
Election Day, 2020
Drywall, acrylic paint, latex paint, caulk, drywall compound, charcoal, water, and nails.
At the top of every hour on Election Day, I made a mark to depict how I felt.
Shame and Then
Linen, nails, acrylic paint, latex paint, water, and plaster on drywall.
This piece depicts the shame around queerness and the aftermath of coming out.
Golden Egg
This is a metaphorical self-portrait that contemplates & explores my experience with connection, energy, and gender.
18 “ x 24”
Paper, acrylic paint, water, cheesecloth, linen, oil paint, and an egg.
warmth in space, now
This piece represents the closeness and comfort we yearn for and even remember, as well as the desolation we are actually experiencing.
The outside appears harsh, as it is geometric in shape, in tatters, and dull. This represents our current reality of living in a pandemic where we are so disconnected and lonely. We are also living in a time of hatred and chaos, as people’s rights and human dignity are threatened and stolen by police brutality or by the citizens and government officials who are aggressively pushing to take away rights for queer people, women, and other marginalized people. Trauma and desolation are our “space” and our “now.”
I chose to install the structure in a bean field behind my house that has recently been harvested and which sits between two highways. I wanted to further my message about our desolate, man-made space, or society.
The inside of Warmth in Space, Now is in the shape of an orb, glows, and has soft and varied textures. I wanted it to be inviting and comforting in order to, not only represent the safety and closeness we desire and remember, but to actually provide that feeling to those who enter, even if the feeling is temporary. This is the “warmth” I can offer.
6’ L x 6’ W x 7’ H
Pine wood, garbage bags, plastic, chicken wire, galvanized wire, snow fence, duct tape, screws, latex paint, spray paint, flag tape, flannel, pillow stuffing, Christmas lights, fairy lights, tool, yarn, and thread.
Pandemic
In my series “Pandemic,” I try to capture a few emotions and experiences that are common during the pandemic: Hopelessness, Loss of Connection, and Fear of Infection (left to right).
This is important to talk about now—during a moment when we are being gaslit by the government and some of our fellow citizens as they deny the existence or severity of COVID-19. All while we continue to suffer.
I made soft, plush sculptures that are abstract and contain inviting material and colors, so that when you look long enough, the dismal emotions appear, juxtaposing the sculptures’ initial appearance. This viewing experience reinforces the idea that COVID-19 is not taken seriously, yet the consequences of the pandemic continue and increase, especially as time passes with no real help nor real plan. I also made them abstract because even these depicted feelings are difficult for us to recognize and grapple with right now.
Hopelessness. 45” x 30” x 18”. Fabric with polyester stuffing, yarn, wood, chicken wire, and doll rods.
Loss of Connection.
Loss of Connection. 75” x 26” x 14”. Fabric with polyester stuffing, cardboard, wood, chicken wire, and plastic.
Fear of Infection. 49” x 29” x 24”. Fabric with polyester stuffing, wood, and chicken wire.
Fear of Infection.
Green
Falling in love with someone of the same gender, especially for the first time, combines love and fear in a unique, intense way. When trying to keep the relationship private and/or fearing for their well-being, an individual must navigate this love using subtle tactics, such as communicating with looks, body language, and energy. These tactics are necessary for safety, but they also provide an extraordinary experience that many members of the queer community may be familiar with.
Here, I try to incapsulate these circumstances and feelings.
24” x 36”
Oil on Canvas