Artist's statement
Full Artist's statement
Via my art practice, I seek to expose the destructive nature of prejudice while advocating for compassion. I create artworks that reference popular culture while infusing themes that reflect my identity. I frequently use repetition, appropriation, and everyday situations to explore multifaceted concepts. In addition to drawing, painting, and collage, I employ installation, video, and other media as means of expression.
Driven by an interest in portraiture, I have developed diverse expressions of myself and of others. I often incorporate individuals or objects that have a distinct connection to my past, yet that intentionally present conflicting narratives of accomplishment and defeat. These subject matters tap cultural phenomena that speak to many and aim to yield connections among shared life experiences.
Ultimately, illumination occurs when vastly disparate situations sit side-by-side. It is why I create installations that often pit optimism against despair. In many ways, these dichotomies define allof our lives. I hope that by presenting them, everyone opens their hearts and minds to one another. I believe these expressions bring people together in the spirit of love and mutual-respect.
