Through contemplation of forgotten spaces, mundane objects, and repetitious gestures, my work critically examines contemporary monotony and the emblematic symbols associated with the often overlooked military family. While unearthing the effects of growing up as a military child in an increasingly hostile world, a personal mythology was quickly established, complete with recurring characters, images, and themes. If I can recompose certain signs, through unexpected materials or exhaustive duplication, the viewer must reevaluate those connotations in my work. Themes such as power and vulnerability, as expressed through my body during performance, also explore the roles of the victim and the perpetrator, the humanity lost in torture by both parties, and how pervasive these contradictory roles arise in everyday society.
My artistic practice balances both highly interactive site-specific installations incorporating performance and video with traditional object making from ceramic, metal and wood. The performative element in my sculptures provokes physical empathy between the piece, the artist, and the viewer. Whether the performance involves the viewer’s body directly or offers a rare opportunity for reflection, his or her reactions complete the piece with often unpredictable outcomes. My creative methods resemble a healer or soothsayer, allowing my body to tell stories in a particular moment of time, while the objects left behind resemble memorials to change and impermanence. Furthermore, my work outside the traditional gallery space exists only for a short period of time, intersecting everyday life for a brief moment, before returning the space back to it’s monotonous routine.