Artist Statement
Bridge-building is central to my practice, and trying to reconcile the mind and the body is the biggest bridge. Making work in physical space is—in part—an attempt to create moments of embodiment in an age of disembodying advertisements, interfaces, and social circumstances.
The tension generated when opposing forces are introduced then begets conflict or challenge that invites viewers to deconstruct their assumptions about the content. Through this, the work hopefully urges a move towards resolution and reconstruction into a new, more empathetic, and understanding way of thinking. Meditating on the space in between is, from where I sit, one of the more honest and effective ways to ascend to loving understanding of people and things. That is to say, my work attempts to name things by what they are not rather than what they are. I do this in part to avoid assuming the role of advocate, advertiser, or expert. Instead, the role of my practice and my work is to create moments that foster inquiry and reflection for the sake of human connection.
The work currently deals with notions of racial identity in America, namely the subtle and personal intersections found in my experience of being a Black man with an anaphylaxis-inducing allergy. It also reflects on how mass media and individuals engage with the topic of racial equity and how this can, at times, be both well-intentioned and counterproductive. The work also investigates the “attention economy” and how the avenues through which we receive information impact the legitimacy of our collective sense of identity and values.
