My work deals with the complexity of essences. Here it is important to note the discrepancies between essence and simplicity. I aim to strip everyday complexities to their fundamental nature in an attempt to make sense of them. What has been interesting to note, however, is that their essence proves to be anything but simple. Everyday concepts such as motivation or personal paradigms cannot be simplified without losing the basic nature of the concept. These cases become all the more intricate and multifaceted as strip them of their situational application. I have become especially aware of the relativity of relevance due to the composite nature of human relations and interactions. My works therefore might seem minimalist and lacking context at first glance, but deeper investigation, study and thought will prove the contrary. Each work is a puzzle in itself; a network of information to contemplate.
My art should enable the viewer to reflect upon life; experienced life at present, but also the context and history that he is situated in. My work investigates the structures by which I perceive, understand and deal with life. It maps the continuum between the defined and undefined as I consolidate underlying connections between ideas, facts and people. I am aware of the irreducible complexity of human intention- a complexity that often obscures the transparency of the past and the present. I thus aspire to stabilize mundane complexities such as emotion, motivation, stereotypes and death by reducing these qualities to quantitative studies and graphs that are recognized by the brain as concrete, linear and therefore graspable concepts. In some instances, explanations and texts confuse, while simple illustrations or installations can break even the most intricate and delicate concept down to its most fundamental and significant form.
The quotidian subject matter that I chose to work with engages and involves the viewer, for he or she should not feel alien to these surroundings. Its pedestrian nature challenges the viewer to be more aware of the potential of everyday objects (like pipes, lights, x-rays and thread) and the intricacy of the mundane (shadows, death, definitions and stereotypes). I work with tactile materials such as glass, ceramics and wool in conjunction with ephemeral qualities of light, shadow, depth and transparency. The focus on line and form in my work is very specific and intentionally conscious of the connotations and denotations it conveys. I work economically with colour and use it only when it contributes to the meaning of the work or aids the differentiation between sets of data. My works are purposefully stripped of decoration and clutter. Each element in each work carries significant meaning and functionality, but could be alternatively interpreted to alter the implication of the work.
Recent research and discussions have led me to the field of Infographics and the display of information as art. This shift has enabled me to translate personal and collective memories into meaningful and practical concepts and to scale these memories down to complex essences. My works therefore become at the same time entirely involved and detached. I have developed a pseudo-scientific approach which utilizes the structures of science (x-rays, graphs, databases and spreadsheets) to quantify subjective concepts. At the moment I have settled with fairly simple charts and graphs, but anticipate that the visualizations may become more complex in the second semester. I would like to incorporate more found objects and I look forward to exploring new ways to distil the world around me.
