The Body
Plasticity, in physics, is described as the deformation of a material undergoing non-reversible changes of shape in response to an applied force. This concept resonates deeply within my artwork, both conceptually and physically. Individuals constantly (re) create and (re) define their identity by the way of the passing of time, new experiences and relationships. In similar ways my prints go through changes with different degrees of molding, cutting, burning, stretching, sewing, and the application of paint or ink before they become finished pieces.
In addition to the landscape/place, the body is where personal histories happen – bearing witness to the most transforming of histories for the individual. In my work the body is used as a place that is meant to be occupied and where memories/ histories are created – the body is both a vehicle and a destination. This work aims to explore histories dealing with identity within the greater cultural and social environments, commenting on acculturation, religion, gender, social constrains, and injustices; all of these anchored in the use of the body/place as a way to explore how the individual constructs different identities and functions in a postcolonial, multifaceted, and diverse environment.