Artist Statement
I embrace the concepts of kitsch and camp to give a visual presentation of my attitude of skepticism that exposes the irony of today’s society. I present work that questions reality and mindsets as it confronts identity. I present work that erase the divisions between high culture and pop culture by appropriating pop icons, political figures, and children’s stories. My art (and I) are a reaction to the depersonalization of one’s identity in today’s society as I present an opportunity for my audience to fall down a rabbit hole in my artworks that play with camp, pop culture, and horror film tropes through the subject matter of daily life.
My works explore the mystery hidden in the eyes behind a mask, the space giving context for what appears to be a mundane routine, the symmetry and relationship between modern celebrations and traditional rituals, and the stories from our youth cast in a new world. I use my subject matter to evoke emotions, drawing my viewer into the artwork. By embracing both old and new technologies, I construct artwork into a storybook, combining fact and fantasy.
Some might tell you that art has no rules -- I would be one of those people. For this reason, my art practice is one of experimentation; testing technological boundaries between different media and photography, and perceived boundaries that might limit my own exploration. I endeavor to always learn, always inquire, always create. As I break down misconceptions of “what is art” in my not-so-subtle critique of the art institution and its need for labels, I turn the antiquated ideas, once attached to photography, upside down.