Artist's Statement
It comes down to ones world view. Some are lucky enough to develop a world view through acquisition of unbiased knowledge, but the world view of many is preordained by culture, or manipulated by institutions. The world today is striking in its defined sides of good and evil. How can there be such distinct good and evil in the world while everyone in their heart is on the side of good and clearly sees the side of evil. Technology enters this mix. It will undoubtedly bring us wonders but can we end up in a comic book world, where single individuals can have ultimate power over us all. I try to explore these themes -- good and evil, innocent and corrupt -- and how meanings can change depending on your point of view.
While at first glance my work might seem to be random juxtaposition or absurdity for absurdities sake. I see it as making some kind of sense, if not logically, then at a gut level that might not always be explainable. I hope my work can succeed in multiple ways. I strive for an image that works on an immediate level but that also can be appreciated in a deeper way. I like to work with ideas and themes but not necessarily specific meaning. Meaning comes from the image. Hopefully viewers will find some meaning in an image that is personal to themselves.
Children's toys are usually seen as possessing innocence. It intrigues me that a toy can, at once, be innocent and menacing. The Kewpie doll recurs in different ways. It becomes a vessel for different ideas. It can be innocence menaced by other forces, the menace itself or sometimes both.
My images are to some degree disturbing because the world can be disturbing, but that doesn't mean one cannot still be amused.
Represented by
Showings
Perry L. Meyer Fine Art --- July 25-Aug 30 2008
Marking Territory: The Imaginary Lines that Limit Us --- The Loft at UCSD --- 10 Oct-10 Dec 2008
Boehm Gallery, Palomar College --- 10 Feb-04 Apr 2009
Noel-Baza Fine Art --- Drawn In: Historic and Contemporary Drawings --- 7 Apr-18 Jun 2009
Lora Schlesinger Gallery --- Draw the Line: Group Show ---13 Jun-25 Jul 2009