I began making my current body of work as way of exploring my long-standing interest in the difference between the physiological process of sight, and the psychological and cognitive aspect of perception. I am fascinated by the way that people build narratives, interpret visual spaces and extract meaning from visual information.
I mix images, textures and materials on canvas or panel to mimic the walls and streets of public spaces. This layering of the personal, natural, commercial and social creates a tension among the messages as they fight to remain at the surface. In this mix of images and objects, the surface contains a microcosmic representation of the local culture. Posters, graffiti, flyers and civic over-paintings mingle with soot, water damage, leftover fragments, scratches and scribblings.
I introduce painterly techniques that give the illusion of atmosphere, light and depth to the public walls and spaces I use as my sources. I layer and weave techniques such as glazing and chiaroscuro in combination with line drawing, collage and pouring viscous media to create a sense of holistic congruence. Embedding the various images, marks and shapes within a singular space is important in setting the narrative stage and ambiance.
The fractal-like quality of the images and objects build the underlying global and associative logic the narrative is based on. I create a sense of self-reflection within the piece by creating various levels of simulacra; for instance I may suspend a rope an inch above the piece, which will cast off a shadow of itself created by surrounding lighting. At the next level I draw a representation of the rope and potentially a secondary representation of the drawing of the rope as well. In multiple incarnations the reflection changes media and varies in aesthetic but can be traced to the original source.
The images I use have simultaneous history and lifespan. Paper warps, tears, becomes damaged by rain and distorts the printed media. People scrawl names and images, leaving their mark. Like an archeological dig, the pieces and fragments eventually come together to tell a story of the individuals and describe the urban environment. The viewer cannot dissect the site without corrupting the information both physically and through subjective interpretation.
Evidence of personal history is inextricably connected to social history. A picture taped to the wall captures a moment in a personal history but also exists contextualized within the Zeitgeist: the style of dress, the hairstyle, commercial product design. The yellowing and tattering of the picture date both the image and the object. Broader associations connect this snapshot to a cultural memory.
My work follows a long tradition of found material and mixed media art. My major artistic influences are Kurt Schwitters, Robert Rauschenberg, Antoni Tapies, Sigmar Polke, and Bruce Conner. My structure and content are influenced by information access technology, virtual space, architecture, walls of public spaces, and contemporary film.
