"All I Hear is the Symphony" refers to how music, ties together many parts to make a collective whole. It creates unity, transports the listener, and shifts the mind/heart to the present. "All I Hear is the Symphony," when repeatedly spoken, becomes a mantra that "as if everything will be okay." When the music is heard, it appears to me on a universal scale that everyone is interconnected in a way that is bigger and more healing than the individual themselves. These works focus on the human condition that being death, aging, and the body's fragility, on a social, political and personal level; revealing a fearless engagement with the inevitable cycles of existence. These three subjects open the doors to vulnerability, resilience, and transformation, vital to the human experience. In the face of mortality, they speak to life's impermanence.
'When We Can Dance Again' centers on hope, freedom, and joy for the future. A torso with a superhero emblem across the chest is elongated and enshrined with crystals that cascade beneath like a crinoline skirt and on the edges of the gold frame. Layered reflective mirrors include the viewer as the observed.
In 'Presumptions of Power,' the female subject is presented as a hero along with other signifiers of protection and empowerment. Star-shaped crystals frame the torso, arranged like a shield, while ominous, spike-like tusks project from the edges, conveying a message of strength and warning.
The vulva, a sculptural centerpiece, in 'Unsettled Object' symbolizes power, representing support for the emancipation of all women. Metal studs, which surround the vulva, additionally emphasize that women's rights must be secured.
A filagree motif layered over the top of a diagrammatic image of a uterus embellished with a gold crystal, two gold tassels hang and frame the torso displayed below, worshiping the female body as an honored subject. ‘Green Tara’ references Buddhist female deity known for her compassion and protection of all living beings. The framing elements imply the safeguarding of the female body from all harm.
As we age, we question the physicality's of the self that change over time. The inquiry, "Yes, no, maybe so.." and, "Is this me?" speaks to the disbelief and dysmorphia we can often experience with each new decade while also highlighting the grace we owe ourselves as we change.
The words "I Thought You Would Not Fail Me" are embedded and blurred within a glass-like abdomen of a female torso at the center of a hexagonal background. Hexagons can symbolize balance and unity, which is not only tested by the obscured phrase but also by the separation of the head from the torso. It points to a disconnect between what was thought and what is.
'A World of Fragile Parts' features brass bars on one of the figure's breasts, marking my own experience with breast cancer. The work explicitly highlights the cancer's location, rather than hiding it in shame, while the gold hexagonal background brings the idea of balance and acceptance.
A diagrammatic image of the uterus in 'Until I Die' is overlaid by a sculptural torso dripping with gold, pointing to the endless struggle over abortion rights in this country. The gold dripping down points to a rally toward hope and the need to continuously fight.
'Within the Cracks' features gold leaf within the break where the torso has been bisected, emulating the Japanese mending technique called Kintsugi. This act runs contrary to how society defines us, as women, to hide our injuries and illnesses publicly.
A face embellished in gold and adorned by tassels breaks through and emerges from the surface. This action, along with the title 'The Voice in the Shadow,' embraces women's voices to be heard loud and clear.
I experienced considerable hair loss, which can profoundly impact a woman's sense of identity. 'Traces of Life' highlights the emotional and psychological challenges associated with hair such as sexuality, beauty, and its effects on the perception of self.
On the right, a smooth torso with soft curves sits next to a seemingly older version of itself to the left, wrinkled and weighed down by gravity and the elements. The title ‘Still Life’ refers to the bodies as a study, comparing the two as related yet existing in different stages of time. The connection shows aging as an inevitable and natural process.
'Things We Share With Each Other' portrays women as a symbol of all humanity, wisdom, power, and unity. This is further underscored by the disembodied head near the top and outstretched arms near the bottom of the work, which implies goddess-like female power. One arm offers a black flower, signifying transformation.