Works
by Themes
by Medium
Penumbral States
Alter Space, San Francisco, 2016
Penumbral States (partial illumination between shadow and light) is comprised of a number of photographic series and videos. The common factor threading through these works is darkness punctuated with light. Traditionally, darkness, a void, is associated with the exposure and concealment of the fragility of the human body. Instead, I use darkness as a comfort zone, a contemplative space, a space for solitude, silence, and magic in response to the omnipresence of the virtual world.
Intentionally inherent to all the works is ambiguity. I use the moon as an agent to communicate emotional states; The human body, to unveil the beauty of simplicity. The juxtaposition of natural, as well as man made sources of energy stands for the paradox of our times in which the analogue mind finds him/herself juggling internal (physical) and external realities (virtual).
While machines are taking over more and more of the human space, I embrace my physical imperfection and expand on this notion of beauty. The moon alphabet, which is the basis of some of the video work is created by drawing with the light of the moon a complete alphabet.
I am intrigued by and respond to Sherry Turkle’s work that examines the impact of technology on a psychological level. Over the past decade, a decline in empathy has been recorded. Is this a natural development of humans in the pre-robotic age? Or is it a symptom of an over-saturated, yet changing mind?