An Unbearable Illumination of Truth
“The story of PTSD is the tale of the indomitable and indefatigable human spirit to survive and adapt. ”
Keeping it in the Family. 2021. Wood, Fabric, Mixed Media.
Keeping it in the Family is a life-size sculptural tryptic that includes a Father, Mother, and Child. Tonic immobility or trauma-induced paralysis is an autonomic hormonal response that causes the body to freeze in situations that provoke extreme fear and anxiety. Resisting or escaping is not possible for someone experiencing this, because they physically do not have control over their muscle response, thus leaving them in a statuesque state. Therefore, a stationary, figurative sculpture is an apt representation of someone who has been triggered. Through these three archetypical family figures, I am expressing various types of traumas as if the individuals are currently responding to a related trigger. These figures are not fully anthropomorphic; instead, they consist of various but limited bodily elements that emerge from or support a tented shelter. I use wood for each of the bodily elements, though the tone is not meant to represent a certain ethnicity. My intention is to create people with whom anyone can identify.
Confined. 2021. Found objects, mixed media.
Confined reflects the metaphorical cage in which children can become trapped when growing up in a disadvantaged socioeconomic situation. This visual representation is a mobile-home-mobile that hangs above a baby crib. I felt that the mobile needed the added association of the doom of being raised in poverty, so the crib not only serves as an association for childhood but also represents a “cage” of destiny for most raised in this environment: a brutal cycle of the lower class. The crib has sheets with grey and white stripes to evoke old-time prison uniforms. The stripes also mimic and reinforce the jail-like structure of the barred crib. Included in the crib is a bright orange baby blanket that references the jumpsuits of modern-day prison inmates. The mobile-home-mobile is attached to a slow rotating motor. The circular, cyclical cycle of the mobile reinforces the idea that poverty can be a vicious cycle that persists over several generations of a family.
Housed. 2021. Wood, mirror, mixed media.
Housed is an installation that explores the complex dynamics of trauma. It is a literal façade of a home on the exterior and an interactive light experience on the interior. The interior space is activated when someone opens the door and explores the inside. The exterior is faux brick and alludes to a safe habitat, implying a sturdy, immaculate, and durable home life. To add to the curiosity, the interior contains another house structure suspended from the ceiling. The suspended house is part home and part gut-like cube that illuminates the entire space. On the interior walls are a panoramic mosaic of shattered mirrors to intensify the lighting and disfigure the viewer’s reflection.
Dysfunction in the Household. 2021. Wood, frames, telephone, media components.
Dysfunction in the Household is almost altar-like in its appearance. Within the five frames are five facts that coincide with the other five sculptures in the room. The bead-boarded house-like structure has a crisp but rough-cut exterior and holds all of the computer and noise components of the exhibition within. This piece has an auditory component that directly engages the audience. The sculpture creates an ambience for the exhibition/s entirety by playing a repetitive cricket chirping. This sound effect serves as a metaphor for the lack of discussion around these issues. By emphasizing the awkward silence, I hope that my artwork will spark more conversations surrounding trauma in our community.