(Post transferred, original content posted Friday, November 16, 2012)
I recently was asked to participate in a group alumni show at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. For the show I created a triptych of charcoal portraits exploring the relationship between objects and the ownership of space.
A stop motion of the creation of "Jason on a Couch" from start to finish. 50 some hours in 30 seconds.
Robert in a Chair, Charcoal & Graphite on Paper, 56 x (approx)100 inches
Henry (Nate) with a Structure, Charcoal & Graphite on Paper, 56x80 inches
Jason on a Couch, Charcoal & Graphite on Paper, 56x87 inches
Statement:
I am intrigued with how objects are utilized to shape the physical and emotional form of the spaces we call our own. Much of how we regard and respond to the space that we occupy is dependent upon what we place within it. My drawings are an attempt to explore how we utilize objects to make spaces truly ours. In particular, I have become fascinated by the juxtaposition of this concept with individuals who do not have spaces of their own. Much in the same way that the placement of my couch or lamp in my living room allows me to make my apartment a home, the measured and thoughtful placement of objects on the sidewalk or street stakes a claim. This body work seeks to draw attention to the simultaneous absurdity and adroitness of a homeless person marking and possessing a public space. By isolating my subject matter from context, I hope to explore the joyful irrationality of the situation, attempting to bring directly into focus the emotional and spatial interactions that allow these transitions from negative to positive space to occur.