About

Reflections on my work

2005

My work incorporates drawing, writing, sculptural objects, gesture, and sound, which are combined to form site-responsive installations and performances. At the core of my practice is an improvisational approach, which places value on the contingencies of each situation (such as place, architecture, season, climate, and social context). Performance plays an integral role, in that it functions as a bridge between various aspects of my work. I try to create situations which resist, or complicate the objectifying aspects of representation, so that rather than watching a spectacle, the audience is invited to participate in some way. These interactions—such as crawling through a space, or receiving something to eat, wear, or hold–are often integral to the piece as a whole. My intention is for these exchanges to act as a catalyst for a more balanced, reciprocal experience to take shape.

The ability to witness my work from multiple perspectives is a paradox which continues to challenge me. Much of my work has explored the complexities of looking and being seen, of being in a state which encompasses feelings of interiority alongside what it is to be part of the world. Several recent pieces have explored thresholds, and the porous relations between inside/outside, autobiography/fiction, process/presentation. Whether through architectural spaces made from paper, or performances that incorporate "drawing through touch" (for example blindly tracing my face on thin sheets of paper to produce self-portraits which are in a sense anonymous), the emphasis is placed on the crossings of inner experience with the larger social sphere.

I'm concerned with the disappearance of craft as a result of technology, and how this creates a distance from experiencing through the body. I work in ways which feel direct; reflecting on the origin of the materials and their particular qualities, such as smell, light, sound, and tactility. I am attracted to the ephemeral qualities of elemental materials such as charcoal, paper, wood, breath. My work often evolves from salvaging residue which has been discarded. Perhaps this approach grew out of economic limitations, but it is also a conscious choice to seek out the poetic aspects of everyday life.

Although I often create works for gallery contexts, I am especially inspired by working in situations where viewers aren't necessarily expecting to encounter art. I try to carve out intimate spaces where they might not be expected—particularly in an urban context. With intimacy comes the potential for care, trust, and sharing. When an experience unfolds without being framed or named, when it slips between the everyday and something a little more heightened or strange, there's the possibility of an exchange that encourages a holistic approach towards art/life.