Artist Statement
We witness inappropriate behavior towards women everyday, so often that it becomes expected and therefore accepted. When an action occurs repeatedly throughout someone’s life, he or she is desensitized to whatever this action is. This is found wherever there is repetition, whether through routines, objects, or personal habits. Repeated exposure to unfair situations and uncomfortable experiences is numbing, and therefore often fails to provoke the retaliation necessary in combatting these occurrences.
My use of found and ready-made objects is an attempt to avoid a disconnect between art and everyday life. Using objects such as clothes allows the viewers to impose themselves onto the piece no matter their background. Regardless of an individual’s efforts to understand the piece, seeing objects that surround them in everyday life will elicit a response. My use of conventional everyday objects parallels the subtlety of the overlooked habits present in my work. Through this use of common imagery, I try to provoke a response through each piece rather than allowing my work to go unquestioned simply as “art”.
The actions that demonstrate this inequality are often subtle, and do not always have bad intentions. However, habits rooted in intolerant beliefs are repeated and we adjust ourselves rather than adjusting the habits themselves. Even family and friends can hold unfair expectations or demands simply because of gender- however, because it is such a common occurrence, the effects are not considered. My work is an attempt to bring recognition to this subtle intolerance.
