Artist Statement

​In a scene from a horror movie, what you can’t see is often scarier and more unsettling than what you can. The fear of the unknown feeds your imagination and you wonder what it could be that the movie isn’t showing you. I use a similar philosophy in my art practice, using abstraction, heavy shadows, and unusual viewpoints to create my images. I do this to challenge the viewer, making them question what they’re seeing and eliciting emotions of unease and curiosity. For example, in my series Reverse Portraits (2018) featuring nine black and white photos showing the backs of peoples’ heads, I used oppressive shadows and deep black space to obscure the photos and isolate the figures. I also chose to flip the typical idea of a portrait around and deny the viewer the comfort of looking at the subjects’ faces. This way, the viewer is left wondering and questioning the photos.

"Why are they turned away from me?"

"What lies in the shadows beyond?"

"What are they looking at?"

"What can’t I see?"
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I believe it is important in my practice to create images that elicit questions like these, allowing the viewer to think more about the images and reflect on their own experiences.

Emotion is another very important part of my practice. As someone who finds it difficult to connect with others, my art works as a means to achieve that connection. I aim to produce an emotion in the viewer and share in the experience of feeling that emotion with them.