In my work I am drawn to synthetic materials, such as acrylic paint, foam, reflective Duralar, and glitter that are traditionally found in celebratory settings in an attempt to confront issues of childhood, psychological trauma, and identity. These materials call attention to themselves through both their reflective qualities and synthetic color. The reflectivity in the silver Duralar is appealing because its reflection distorts its surroundings, including the audience and, ultimately, reality. The use of iridescent materials put the work in a state of in-between working to emphasize a feeling of abjection.
Whether it is filming myself performing a repetitive and possibly harming action in a surreal space, or creating compositions on pieces of oddly shaped foam using excessive paint and shiny, decorative materials, these processes allow me to invent a record of anxiousness, while hopefully creating a sense of unease in the viewer. I also intend to manipulate the tension between the myth of celebration and the confrontation viewers have with their own distorted reflection, calling into question the traditions and habits of public celebration and questioning what happens when these behaviors are expressed privately.
