Shadow
During a 2018 residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute, I created a project titled Shadow that explored relationships between myself, various participants, the mask, and the shadow. Over the span of one month, I invited individuals to wear or embody a mask. I painted a shadow on the wall behind the participant as well as onto the participant’s nude body. This shadow figure used optical illusion to bridge environment and self, wrapping the individual in a veil of mystery. Often the shadow is considered as a separate but extended version of the self, as if the shadow itself is also experiencing a process of embodiment. As my work with masks continues to evolve, I find myself working with people in highly intimate and creative settings. Increasingly, I invite others to be photographed wearing a mask. The images are the result of a process that is collaborative and undefined. These photographs are static objects, but require a tremendous amount of trust and communication in their making. In addition to making my art, I’m learning to listen, witness, and hold space for vulnerability.
