Statement of Work

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My work explores ideas surrounding the body, the stage, and a play between two-dimensional images and three-dimensional objects. I am drawn to surreal spaces that combine fictional space with the reality of the body, most typically found in film and theatre. Inspired by the cartoonish, flattened sets of German Expressionist film, David Hockney's set design, and the silly world of Pee Wee's Playhouse, I began my own imaginary stage-like setups. Using mainly paper cutouts to create the set, I explore different ways of creating a distorted sense of depth. By using forms that are referential to the body such as stairs or a doorway, I hope that the viewer might imagine themselves moving through the sometimes impossible space. Initially I started using collage as a sketching mechanism to plan out future installations. This mindset lets me move around the paper cutouts in space like miniature props, using the paper as a stand-in for three-dimensional objects. I began scanning small clay objects and printing them out to include in the collage. Scanning has become a way for me to reprocess materials and explore different ways of flattening imagery. I hope to explore these processes further, including the body in various ways and working between printed image and installation.