Artist Statement

"So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of man. Each of us when separated, having one side only, like a flat fish, is but the indenture of a man, and he is always looking for his other half." (Plato)

My theme is the "Human Being". Capturing the complexities and contradictions of emotional life, especially the fears and uncertainties surrounding sexuality and love, my work - paintings, videos and literary texts - maps out the elusive dynamics of human interaction.

Over centuries, representation of couples has evoked a fundamental desire of the human  condition - the longing of an individual to connect with the "other". In many cultures around the world, the interpretation of "pairs" often expresses underlying social and philosophical ideas concerning duality that are culturally specific.

The term "couple" suggests the presence of a bond that joins two elements together. Even though most of my work features the bond between man and woman, I want to see these figurations in a broader sense, like two persons or forces paired together. On the one hand there is the quintessential human desire to seek out union with other human beings, on the other hand there is the human quest for a sense of individual identity.

My work explores the complexities of these human relationships through spatial relations. The figures are positioned in close proximity, but remain separated, isolated, mired in an inscrutable solitude. My work argues that isolation pervades human existence, and yet human beings remain hopeful and grateful for moments of intimacy and entireness with the other.

Aesthetically, my paintings and prints can be characterized by two principal features. First, they almost always employ soft, pale shades, in an effort to convey the enduring humanity of the figures even in the moments of pervasive sorrow. Secondly, the paintings are geometric and develop almost entirely from the straight line. This remains a challenge to my artistry, but allows me to most clearly locate and convey the essential metaphor of the pieces: the boundaries and barriers, the lines and limits of human relationships.

Literature has always played a crucial role in my artistic endeavors. Illustrating different books, working with texts and writing my own stories. My examination of literature is a back and forth between drawing, prints and video. Through my art, I am compelled to investigate, express, and decode the ways in which literature speaks to me.