All of these are painted, all of these are floating off the ground, all of these are held by chains, some of these are burned, some of these are covered in music, some of these you can almost see through, all of these want to be something, and their form is like something (maybe).
These were made with frustration, with materials, with my hands, in conflict, attempting to communicate.
I/we are the collective. I/We would like to exist. I/We would not like to exist. I/We would like to be seen. I/We would not like to be seen. I/We want all of this at once and at different times. They traverse each other. This contrast bothers me like your gaze bothers me.
“Blackness provided the occasion for self reflection as well an exploration of terror, desire, fear, loathing and longing.” (Scenes of Subjection, Saidiya Hartman, 1996)
Materials: Wood, acrylic paint, CD’s, glass, epoxy resin, propane torch and mixed metal.
"I got eyes in the back of my head"- this seems like it fits the piece in terms of expanded external/internalization of the panoptic gaze, surveillance and blackness.
Materials: Acrylic paint, metal chains, canvas
Dimensions: Various (60in (153cm) x 60in (153cm))
It feels like it works on mulitple levels and encompasses and allows much or enough. A black phrase, and old phrase-brief, famliar and nostalgic to whomever it need be. Literal enough to allow [non- black] people in and personal to me and possibly other black people. This work is about gaze and gazing, using memory and art history as references. This work is commentary on the obession and oppression of looking- of the need to be watchful and its relationship to survival and protection. There is a strong personal story with me in terms of a gaze (black familial gaze) on me and questioning it- being weary of it, ignoring it and more than all not attempting to challenge it (Notes on practice 10/5/22).
Documentation of Exploring Artistic Methods and Physical Activity to Process Various Emotions (#1 & #2)
Dimensions: 60in/152cm x 72in/183cm)
Materials: Acrylic paint, Canvas
These two works were catalyzed by tense emotional states and contemplation continuing to integrate Public health research methods into my practice. I approached these works as opportunities to test artist materials (paint, canvas, body, movement) as variables that would impact various emotions held at the time of the experiments. Parameters of the experimentation included marking only the canvas, ending my physical activity at the end the predefined time period, solitude, only using my feet to mark the canvas, etc. were all used to control the environment of these works. Additionally, I see comparisons to abstract expressionist artists such as Pollock and the Gutai Movement (specifically Kazou Shiraga) in these works a references to gesture. This makes sense in that I focus/emphasize on the process of making opposed to a specific outcome with these works. Though, looking at them from a health research lens the outcome was important to identify and/or define. From a health research perspective art therapy has been used as a tool that may be effective in treating a variety of symptoms, age groups, and disorders.