Description
The thesis exhibition Displaced was not held in the University Gallery at San Diego State University from May1st-8th, it was instead held online. That is because I am writing this paper in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the likes of which the world has not seen in recent history. While much of my work is derived from memories of places that I have been displaced from, this disruption that most of the world is experiencing now is one of the main driving factors of this body of work. The exhibition consisted of five mixed media sculptural objects. These objects are inspired by my personal memories and experiences and serve as my emotional response to the specific domestic spaces of my past. This work has been inspired by painters, sculptors, musicians and authors. The majority of artists who have influenced my work, approach their own practice with a need to create and express what is true to their life experiences while giving a glimpse into how they viewed the world. I view their art as a reflection of themselves but also as a reflection of their environment and surroundings. Thematically, this work was driven by my lifelong fear of being displaced and the elements that have fed into these insecurities. I set out to achieve this through the blending of materials and forms that carry the connotations of permanence and impermanence. From these materials, I create the formal compositions presented in this exhibition. These objects are constructed to restrict any linear narrative, allowing the objects and influences from my life to serve as placeholders in which the viewer can insert themselves and their own story. This body of work serves as an accumulation and synthesizing of the emotions and experiences I have had concerning this subject matter. It is the purpose of this paper to make clear the methods and inspirations that brought this work to fruition.
