Headlands Center for the Arts

Artist Statement

I have been creating art in New Zealand for over a decade. I have never restricted myself to one idea or mode of working, and I am open to exploring the potential for expression in any way that is possible. I want my work to be accessible and relatable to large groups of people. Although my intentions are often lost in translation, I have learnt to enjoy this and see it as unavoidable in the way art communicates. I do not particularly enjoy defining my practice as a whole, and I strive to continuously expand to new areas. I am currently working on process-based oil paintings, sculptural accumulations of found objects, and lengthy musical pieces created entirely from found sound. I have a studio now, but for many years I did not. I am led by my compulsions and obsessions and take pleasure in exploring the messiness of life and absurd situations.

While at Headlands

While at Headlands I will expand on my previous work in film, performance, temporary sculpture, and investigations of discomfort and awkward, frustrated movement. As a starting point for this new body of work, I will focus on issues surrounding housing insecurity and the idea of “home” being challenged by the reality of a growing population and rising inequality. I am interested in exploring the effect this has on one’s mental health and the underlying discomfort that comes with not having a solid or reliable foundation. I will use my body and clothing and whatever else is at hand to illustrate unsatisfactory housing situations and the discomfort stemming from this estrangement from one’s home. It is important that I will be severed from the place I currently call home and to be immersed in totally unfamiliar surroundings to reflect on and respond to these issues.