Popular (2016-2017)
Artist Statement
The focus of my concentration is how the pursuit of popularity and vanity cause a systematic breakdown of the psyche, especially as it pertains to teenagers. This breakdown of the psyche leads to severe depersonalization and loss of identity in the subject. My works show subjects in various states of unreality, their surroundings often foreign and in various states of consciousness. On top of this there is an element of distortion in the image as the line between reality and dreams are blurred, a quite literal interpretation of the subject losing touch with reality. As the subjects are stripped of their individuality and identity, they can no longer connect with their lives. Friends become strangers, memories get lost, homes become mere structures. The works bridge the gap between the fantasies we live in, and the realities we must face.