Throughout the summer, I am creating a body of artwork that explores human dissociation from the natural world and how we use technology to reinforce our separation. My painted sculptures are informed by video game environments which function as hybrid spaces, at once human, wild, and machine.
I have spent this Spring semester curating a new annotated bibliography of inspiring creative, philosophical, and scientific material, and I am excited to apply this new knowledge to my studio practice. A few notable authors include Donna Haraway, Anna Singh, and Melanie Challenger, the last of whom wrote How to Be Animal: What it Means to be Human. This book is a reexamination of our species’ history through a lens of environmental philosophy that challenges ideas of human exceptionality. It argues that in times of climate crisis, we must relearn how to exist as animals to become better and more sustainable humans. In my art there are no human subjects; I hope that by elevating endemic, endangered, and extinct Florida animals in my work, audiences may be able to resonate with and begin to see themselves in the likenesses of their neighbor species.
Aside from written resources, I will be refining my digital fabrication skills while creating this work. My creative process is hybridized, moving fluidly between traditional and digital means and subjects to create immersive environments. To evolve my practice, I have been learning how to operate the CNC router located in the Theatre Department’s Scene Shop, which is used in the creation of large props for various FSU productions. To ideate, I create digital and paper collages, the most successful of which I deconstruct and reimagine to scale. I create vector outlines of each asset and then import these into the program that runs the CNC router. The machine traces and cuts these shapes, which I then prime, paint, and assemble like puzzle pieces into sculptures.
Last year, I created a series of large-scale paintings similarly inspired by video game simulations of wild spaces and the geometric abstractions found within. Informed by performance art traditions, I conducted exploration-based interventions in both physical and virtual landscapes to collect my images. I found this process immensely satisfying, and my latest works continue to be inspired by new explorations. Now, I am seeking to push my abstractions into three-dimensional space, creating sculptural environments that retain their painted qualities while also offering a more interactive way for viewers to explore the gallery space. My previous sustained investigation provided a foundation for my practice to evolve both materially and conceptually. I hope to create work that not only engages viewers’ senses, but starts meaningful conversations about environmental degradation, technology, and our place in the world.
At this point in this project, I believe my biggest area for improvement is my woodworking skills! Having taken several sculpture classes, I have familiarity with and continue to use the machinery within the College of Fine Art’s woodshop, however, I remain inexperienced with joinery and crafting larger wooden structures. This summer, I intend to explore online resources and begin conversations with faculty to inform my sculptural technique. I hope to use the router to create seamless fits between wooden pieces and to plan forms that can be deconstructed and reconstructed at exhibition sites.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to sharing my upcoming progress!
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