Patterns of Privilege
PATTERNS of PRIVILEGE explores the intersection between physical place and cultural space. Questions of privilege, including my own as a white artist, are at the core of the work and my process. What right do I have to engage this work? How do I place myself respectfully within its context and navigate its complexities with awareness, honesty and authenticity?
The abstracted contours and toile de jouy-style cutouts reference appropriation, boundaries and privilege. Cutouts depicting historic African American Westerners—Bill Pickett, George Fletcher and James Beckwourth—are contrasted in several works with text commemorating contemporary African Americans who died in institutional and racially motivated killings, painted trompe l’oeil fragments from European-inspired wallpapers and patterns gleaned from the land, including the Sweet Briar Slave Cemetery, VA to create a compression of time, a dialog between the past and present and a conversation for today.
WHITE NOISE and WHITE NOISE/THE PEACEKEEPER are projects that consider media coverage of racially motivated and institutional violence targeting African Americans and white privilege. The WHITE NOISE PROJECT, as a video and site specific installation in the Gray Space cube, has been exhibited in numerous locations. WHITE NOISE/THE PEACEKEEPER, a collaborative project with Marissa Solini was selected for the “Salon: Portland2016 Biennial The Studio Visits” exhibition juried by Grabner and represented by Caprario's video (04:00) and featured images of a wood and plaster sculpture by Marissa Solini.
Thank you to the following for their support of my practice and Patterns of Privilege:
The Oregon Arts Commission - Career Opportunity Grant
Ford Family Foundation Mid-Career Artist Residency Awards
Jane G. Camp Memorial Fund - The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
The Ucross Foundation, WY
The Djerassi Foundation, CA
Brush Creek Foundation, WY