S.I.R.
SEGMENTED INTESTINAL REMINENTS I believe memory is the strongest connection to our past, present and is able to predict future outcomes we might experience in our body. The segmented intestine remnants are visual representations, a timeline of painful memories in my life, created from suffering and longing to be free of unknown pain. The glass vessels act as windows into memories of suffering that most try to forget or repress. The duration of time varies as well as the severity of discomfort and suffering that was experienced and is represented by the intricacies and textures created on the intestinal walls. The intestines are submersed in liquid, some decaying, some growing with every recollection. The illumination and liquid level fade away with time as we naturally grow farther away from our perceived pain.
Army n one
ARMY N-ONE is about the struggle of cellular warfare within our own bodies; white blood cells turning against other cells and causing unknown harm for reasons unknown to me. The army of white blood cells comprise an endless supply of hungry warriors fighting the so-called foreign invaders until they are exterminated. The tonic bottles represent hungry phagocytes, which the body unknowingly uses to target the organs that are deemed a threat. This is due to an abnormal homeostasis in the body as weaker cells are targeted to quickly eradicate any abnormal functions. Detection and persistent treatment are crucial to stop further damage to the body’s own organs and help heal current problems. Through treatment and quick action, the organ, in this case the intestine, has a fighting chance to be rebalanced and once again thrive. The intestine is coated in a protective pharmaceutical layer that is repelling (fighting off) the phagocytes in order to maintain its ideal homeostasis. The pharmaceuticals create memories within the organ’s cell wall that erects a barrier of protection from the attacking white blood cells.
OLF
OLF explores smell in relationship to memory. The use of aromatic triggers elicits an emotional response to help recall these memories. Visual objects can transcend time through the recollection of aromas associated with memories. The ability to obscure rationality even just for a few seconds is a powerful tool that the olfactory gland provides. I used smells that are specific to the discovery of my health issues, and they range from clean and sterile to putrid and disgusting, and everything in between. Yet when a participant opens the perfume bottles, the memories that are triggered by the aroma within belongs to the viewer. The olfactory experience is one of the strongest senses tied to memory. It transcends time and space for the one moment we experience that smell. These smells may or may not invoke enjoyment, but they will recreate memories of the experiences. The participant must gamble on which elixir will provide a positive or negative response.
RESIDUUM
Remnants of affected tendencies tend to preserve the preciousness of life which leaves a mark on the psyche. Visual memories are tied strongly to emotion and the sensory experience. These conceived ideas of control are arbitrary to the reality of our perceived existence. Fear of the unforeseen and the knowledge of many possibilities create visceral discharges of visual incongruity. The unforeseen complications in life create interesting and unpredictable results which challenges the order of ones predetermined theories. Dealing with these fear driven images directly facilitate a sense of uneasiness that transcends to a somewhat sublime state of mind. The unpredictable qualities of reality facilitate opportunities for change and creative solutions. In this series I use molten glass to draw on the canvases and create layers of scarring.
