Very little about war or violence coincides with the romantic or artistic. Political protests in art often scream to be heard, but my current work investigates these sentiments subtly, with a certain quiet reverence and sardonic humor. A military family may not translate certain imagery into the same visual language as a civilian. If I can deconstruct these signs, whether by changing their original medium or manipulating the icon through symmetry and repetition, the connotations must be reevaluated by the viewer. What may be considered ordinary for me represents the extreme to many others.
The performative element to my sculpture provokes physical empathy between the piece, the artist, and the viewer. Whether through bringing attention to forgotten spaces, mundane objects, or repetitious gestures, my work poses questions about everyday life. Why are there holes in this concrete slab if not for sticking carrots in them?
I hope to design work with a consistent visual alphabet wherein every letter, from a toy gun to a tomato, conveys the narrative between myself, my past and the world around me.