Karen
'Karen' is the first video work of the series in progress, 'Family Secrets'. 'Family Secrets' traces my family history through stories that are coming to light up to 100 years after happening. This series includes video art, collage mixed media, and audio installations. There are stories of hidden pregnancies, diaries uncovered from the war, and oral histories that reveal a plethora of life shattering events. Please note that this is only a 5 minute clip of 'Karen'... the video is meant to be played between three screens, each being 10 minutes in length.
Behind the Freak Show Curtain
Step Right Up, charcoal on paper, 6x4 feet, 2010
The Story Behind the Freak Show Curtain- Artist Statement
Human Beings displayed on exhibition. This was a very popular notion in the late 19th and early 20th century sideshows. Such sideshows exhibited people that were disabled, diseased or were medical mysteries. Crowds would gather from far and wide to catch a glimpse of these human oddities, and to hear why they were so different from everyone else. These humans on exhibition became a part of the Freak Show.
In today's society, we are interested in television shows that explore people with disabilities, disease, and disfigurement. Such shows include TLC's "The Little Couple", "World's Heaviest Man", and "The Man with Half a Body" and all of these shows have received high ratings. However, this fascination with people that are different from the “norm” is nothing new. One of the origins of this draw to "human oddities" was only 100 years ago with the Freak Show. Freak Shows included small people, overweight people, and people born with disfigurements that were put onto display together as an exhibition… and the general public flocked to the shows out of curiosity.
The history of the freak show is fascinating, especially in terms of the institution’s promotion of prolific, fake stories to make more money. At the freak shows, portraits of each freak were available along with a telling, fabricated story behind each one. The freak show was a performance and focused on those that drew a crowd because of their physical appearance. In my work, I want to tell the story that really was true of the individuals, free from money hunger and discrimination that their promoters had.
My work began with researching the biographies of six “freaks”. I created block prints of each, presented in the same manner they would have been seen during the shows. However, underneath the block print image is another block print of a banner (reminiscent of 20th century handbills) which encases text that tells the story the promoters did not want the audience to know, exposing the often tragic lives of these people. These prints explore the origins of human nature’s attraction to human “oddities”, which we still see in mass media today. Appearing in several exhibitions already, these prints have received much recognition, as well as awards.
As an expansion to these prints, I have created this exhibition called The Story Behind the Freak Show Curtain, which delves much deeper into the history of the Freak Show. This includes a banner sized charcoal drawing of a gathered audience, graphite and ink drawings on medical dictionary pages, graphite portraits, and more block printing works. Through this exhibition of historical storytelling, concepts of appearances, abuse, and audience are brought to the forefront.
Human Beings displayed on exhibition. This was a very popular notion in the late 19th and early 20th century sideshows. Such sideshows exhibited people that were disabled, diseased or were medical mysteries. Crowds would gather from far and wide to catch a glimpse of these human oddities, and to hear why they were so different from everyone else. These humans on exhibition became a part of the Freak Show.
In today's society, we are interested in television shows that explore people with disabilities, disease, and disfigurement. Such shows include TLC's "The Little Couple", "World's Heaviest Man", and "The Man with Half a Body" and all of these shows have received high ratings. However, this fascination with people that are different from the “norm” is nothing new. One of the origins of this draw to "human oddities" was only 100 years ago with the Freak Show. Freak Shows included small people, overweight people, and people born with disfigurements that were put onto display together as an exhibition… and the general public flocked to the shows out of curiosity.
The history of the freak show is fascinating, especially in terms of the institution’s promotion of prolific, fake stories to make more money. At the freak shows, portraits of each freak were available along with a telling, fabricated story behind each one. The freak show was a performance and focused on those that drew a crowd because of their physical appearance. In my work, I want to tell the story that really was true of the individuals, free from money hunger and discrimination that their promoters had.
My work began with researching the biographies of six “freaks”. I created block prints of each, presented in the same manner they would have been seen during the shows. However, underneath the block print image is another block print of a banner (reminiscent of 20th century handbills) which encases text that tells the story the promoters did not want the audience to know, exposing the often tragic lives of these people. These prints explore the origins of human nature’s attraction to human “oddities”, which we still see in mass media today. Appearing in several exhibitions already, these prints have received much recognition, as well as awards.
As an expansion to these prints, I have created this exhibition called The Story Behind the Freak Show Curtain, which delves much deeper into the history of the Freak Show. This includes a banner sized charcoal drawing of a gathered audience, graphite and ink drawings on medical dictionary pages, graphite portraits, and more block printing works. Through this exhibition of historical storytelling, concepts of appearances, abuse, and audience are brought to the forefront.
Leprosy, ink on vintage paper, 2010
Minnie, block print on paper, 2009
Nikolai, block print on paper, 2010
Video Art
flesh is flesh- Artist Statement
My work is often inspired by the social and physical relationships between people. Using the medium of video I wanted to capture the sexual relationships of people not for the purposes of pleasure or pornography, but for commenting on society’s reactions to same sex couples.
flesh is flesh is a video piece that brings three couples together: a gay couple, a lesbian couple, and a straight couple. All three partners are engaging in intimate moments, all which mirror each other. When focused on only one part of the body, the clarity of which couple is which becomes blurred. We lose the ability to decipher the titled relationship even more so as the couples move between three screens. The audience recognizes the body parts and the movements, but the distinction of each couple slips into further obscurity.
Our society has become obsessed with putting titles on relationships, and judging the sexual orientation of others. Does it really matter what sex each partner is, or are all relationships just human relationships?
Going behind closed doors, this video shows that in the end flesh is flesh.
My work is often inspired by the social and physical relationships between people. Using the medium of video I wanted to capture the sexual relationships of people not for the purposes of pleasure or pornography, but for commenting on society’s reactions to same sex couples.
flesh is flesh is a video piece that brings three couples together: a gay couple, a lesbian couple, and a straight couple. All three partners are engaging in intimate moments, all which mirror each other. When focused on only one part of the body, the clarity of which couple is which becomes blurred. We lose the ability to decipher the titled relationship even more so as the couples move between three screens. The audience recognizes the body parts and the movements, but the distinction of each couple slips into further obscurity.
Our society has become obsessed with putting titles on relationships, and judging the sexual orientation of others. Does it really matter what sex each partner is, or are all relationships just human relationships?
Going behind closed doors, this video shows that in the end flesh is flesh.
Family Tree
Out of Reach, Acrylic on Photographic Print, 2010
Sheltered, Acrylic on Canvas, 4-panel, 2010
Protection, Acrylic on Photographic Print, 2010
A Mother's Loving Arms, Acrylic on Photographic Print, 2010
Hold Tight, Acrylic on Canvas, 3-panel, 2010
Growing Up, Acrylic on Canvas, 2010
Grove, Charcoal and Graphite on Paper, 2008
Prints
Down the Rabbit Hole, block print on vintage novel pages on wood panel,12"x12", 2010
Cheshire, block print on paper, 12"x12", 2010
Untitled, block print on vintage paper on wood panel, 2010
Drawings
Untitled, Charcoal on Paper, 2007
Manufactured, Drawing Installation, India Ink, 2007
Paintings
Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 18x24, 2010
Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 18x24, 2010
Christmas Cards, oil on paper, 2010
Orchid, Acrylic on Canvas, 2010
Fear, Acrylic on Paper, 2007
Chess, Acrylic on Paper, 2008
