Biography
Conceptual decisions I make when composing a work of art portray the aftermath of violence against women. Not that it happened in a journalistic sense but various obstacles it creates in the lives of survivors. Brutalization is often brushed aside; victims are expected to forget what happened. This creates a walled off disconnection with the rest of the world. The goal of my work is to transport the viewer toward the realities that most people would rather ignore. I use various book formats as vehicles to contrast materials such as brass, velvet and handmade paper with pictorial and textural elements. The seductive qualities of books and their tactile components merge with strong narrative. I present the suffering of abused women to topple taboos associated with discussions of rape and other humiliations both mental and physical. While I appropriate the pain of others, I myself am in their league. This allows intimate associations. It is a stilted camaraderie of the misunderstood marred by accompanying indifference from ‘the other’. Dwelling on victimhood is replaced by courage shown in the face of such atrocities in order to continue living a life, no matter how inhibited.
