“The world is not what I think, but what I live through.”  Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology of Perception.  

Our social world is complex and full of contradictions, which is all the more reason for me to research and experiment as an artist.  It is my hope that we all will embrace the constantly changing circumstances of our realities and not close ourselves off from the opportunities that comes from our ever changing world. We are connected now more than ever because of technology. But perhaps those connections, so easily identifiable by technology, serve better as tangible evidence of our connectedness; rather than just a statement. People are social creatures, which makes us naturally open. I believe that whether we are capable to or not, people want to connect to one another. Some have withdrawn into themselves to the point that they can't imagine reaching out or connecting. That withdrawal could be a symptom of many different things. Situations, occurrences and shared experiences can create an opportunity for connection between people. That shared experience determines the connection, whether it’s playful, funny and/or beautiful.  

 

The presence of craft, in some form, is a key element in my work. Materials that have the capacity to hold their "thing-ness" and simultaneously become another object is important. Crocheted blankets immediately brings to mind a feeling of familiarity, family, comfort, softness, warmth and color. In combination with a set of four discarded dining chairs, that I have upcycled and joined together with wood and yarn, also conjures a sense of familiarity. These objects, still recognizable, yet assembled in an impersonal fashion; emulate materiality and ignorance of our interconnectedness.  

An ability to create situations of collaboration and shared experiences is a skill I cultivate for bringing people into my practice.  I also hope that skill will transfer to the viewer through my work.  By collaborating with someone to make something, whatever that may be, that interaction is an integral part of life in general.  It is important to me for my work to mirror that interdependence we have on each other. I would like to thank Zolton Farkus, a former SFR neighbor, for the opportunity to collaborate with him on this project.