ARTIST STATEMENT

Ever since I was young, I was exposed to forms of desolation. I have always had an emotional connection to abandoned spaces – not specifically the fascination of this decay occurring, but what was left behind. In my Weeping Willow series, I document the interiors and exteriors of these spaces. Worn furniture, stripped walls, children’s toys, personal belongings, and overgrowth act as evidence of the lives once lived. Viewers are invited not only to imagine the stories of those that once occupied these spaces, but also to consider a more intimate question: what was this place like before its current state, and what continues to exist in the absence? 

My self-portrait series, on the other hand, turns inward. Created during a time of personal hardships in which I felt disconnected from my own identity, these images combine body with elements of nature. From the transition of no color and scarce plant life to complete vibrancy and bloom presented in the images, I use seasonal change as a metaphor- exploring the emotions of grief, loss, and renewal. How the body is presented also further emphasizes these emotions- focusing on gestures of the hands and positioning of the body. Experimentation with movement, facial expression, and covering parts of the face are also important elements.  

Across both projects, I see my practice as an ongoing reflection on how we inhabit time, endure transformation, and how nature mirrors the emotional rhythms of being human.