Current Artist Statement

I want you to see me.  No, really see me.  Not just look at me but also see me.  Pick me apart piece by piece and then put me back together.  These are the subtleties that distract people when they interact with me, what makes them consider me in a new light when first discovered.  Possibly these are the parts of my body that will cause judgment and reaction.  I have selected what sections of my body to share with the public yet I have no control over how they will perceive it.  The viewer is able to construct a character from these fragmented bits of my individual self.  I am giving up control to those inspecting these shattered parts of what makes me a whole person. 

            These are various elements of my body that come together as I feebly strive to create an individual being in this sea of bodies wandering the earth.  Nietzsche, among others, theorizes how humans place great importance on striving for gratification of being acknowledged as an individual yet we are abruptly halted by a tragic contradiction.  Inevitably we can never be anything more than what others perceive us to be.  As we all share an earth, the world that we know is only constructed through our personal experiences.  In addition, we take into account how others treat us to help form our identities.  It is a vicious circle in which we are playing the pathetic role of seeking successful identities that we construct.  With the consideration that a person is limited to other’s perception of them, I acknowledge how I am bound to the stereotypes in which others place me.  Through this acknowledgement I am free to let go of any concern of how I display myself.  Many artists such as, Carolee Schneemann, Ana Mendieta, Mitsuko Nagone, and Vito Acconci influence my work.  The small photographs force the viewer to get closer to the images creating a more intimate experience.  In addition, the movement of the display creates an active audience rather than a docile viewer.  The use of black and white images eliminates any distracting elements other than the form and simplicity of my body.