Fragility

The delicate tendrils of a jellyfish are as fragile as they are toxic. Combining my own nature photography and the portrait photography of my friend studying at NYU, I created a composition to share the similarities of the jellyfish and the social construct of toxic masculinity. I wanted to experiment with adjusting color schemes and placing two organic forms together that have no natural association. The cultural norms that equate masculinity to control, aggression, and violence wrap their tendrils around developing young men and enforce negative stigma around men expressing emotion. The resulting men lash out when feeling emasculated and overcompensate with hyper masculine acts. Combining the colors and shapes of these two opposing forms into something beautiful is my attempt to combat the repressive expectations of men in modern society

Deliquesce

I designed this painting to be a clear yet unique statement about the impending dangers of global warming. While cute images of polar bears incentivize an effort to preserve their home, I believe we must face the more unpleasant nature of the melting ice caps. While global warming is causing a myriad of issues for our environment including ocean toxification, release of greenhouse gasses from the ice caps, and extreme weather, this piece focuses specifically on the effects of global warming on the arctic ecosystem. An drifting iceberg with the structure of a polar bear skull sits in the center of this piece as a reminder that as our ice caps melt into the ocean, the animals inhabiting our arctic will also be disappearing. While warnings of climbing temperatures have been broadcasted for the last 20 years, we have yet to commit to sustainable behaviors. While I as an individual cannot change legislature to protect arctic life, I aim to reach people with my art and push eco-consciousness.

Meat

This piece is a statement about the ridiculous level of chemicals injected into the meat consumed daily by millions of americans. A huge percentage of the meat on the market is treated with anhydrous ammonia, carbon dioxide, and other synthetic additives; during their lives, cows are injected with hormones and exposed to other dangerous chemicals. While I am not a vegetarian, I strive to practice sustainable consumption and I believe it's important to educate others on the dangerous impact the meat industry has on the environment and our bodies. The absence of effective federal regulations allows dangerous additives to be injected and packaged into the protein we consume. By placing a soldier in the midst of a meaty gas cloud I aim to represent how surrounded we are by this toxicity. If we were exposed to the myriad of dangerous chemicals that we subject our livestock to, then we would be reaching for gas masks.

Birds of a Feather

This piece again takes two subjects from vastly different worlds and meshes their identities into one form. The garments and extravagant jewelry were inspired by traditional portraiture of royalty form the 1800’s. By taking the haut monde form of a regal woman and replacing a figure of aristocracy with a scavenging bird I seek to draw attention to this unique creature from a new perspective. Unlike the refined nature of an upper class woman, the condor’s fleshy skin and scraggly feathers are visually asaulting. The new world vulture is currently classified as critically endangered. Unlike other animals that receive a substantial support from corporations who benefit from electing an adorable endangered mascot; foundations supporting the California condor lack adequate funding. Scavengers, as well as insects, small burrowing mammals, and aesthetically “uncute” animals not only face an environmental disadvantage, but receive less support.

No Cap

There seems to be no cap to the amount of waste we are willing to dump into our oceans and pollute our water systems. For this piece I collected and sorted the amount of plastic recycled from our school. Horrifically less than one third of the plastic containers and bottles purchased on campus throughout the week were properly disposed of. Even accounting for a margin of error, this level of impetuous behavior is not sustainable. Along with creating an installation to serve as a backdrop to my friend's speech on ocean pollution, I created this piece to emphasize the destruction we are doing to our water and food sources.

Inhabitant

Inhabitant is a 2d mixed media work that reflects my personal experience with body dysmorphia over the course of my life. The body is something that connects all human souls in a platform of shared experience that can foster empathy. Part of my goal as a human is to ensure my artistic practice promotes healthy coexistence of internal and external identities. The composition was developed by layering paint over scars and stretch marks in an act of acceptance and personal growth, healing old wounds through the act of creating art. Despite fluctuations in form I pledge to respect the vessel I inhabit and move forward embracing growth and change.