WHY I do what I do…
We live in a post-truth world. Climate change has provided us with an unprecedented context for understanding our relationships. Our world is grappling with economic and ecological realities, yet we don’t universally see the simplicity of their interdependence.
HOW I do what I do…
I uncover these inter-dependent relationships and present them in artworks to provoke and instigate dialog. I believe that through dialog, art can be a catalyst for change. In my practice, I make totems, installations, and other anomalies to provoke cross-cultural dialog so that instead of seeing the differences among ourselves, we see the similarities. I have been researching and developing these themes throughout my entire body of work, and believe I am contributing to the global collective effort towards curbing social entropy. If we can find common ground, and laterally disperse progressive and proactive solutions, humanity can move forward embracing our collectivity and individuality.
So… WHAT is it that I do…
This is my project at large, to learn about other cultures by direct immersion and to create through experimentation and community collaboration to nurture global dialog on ecological sustainability, the common ground we all share. Lately, I have increased the amount of social practice by incorporating clean-ups, material collections, and pollution/consumption awareness workshops and exhibitions as I have done in Cambodia and elsewhere. I imagine and hope that something similar can happen organically as I discover and participate with each new community I encounter in my ‘open studio’ practice. My goal in my practice is public art, and with each new community, I hope to be able to make the connections possible for the creation of a large scale public art project. It could be on a direct message like the theme of recycling or consumption, or something completely different. I also feel strongly that spending time in a new community is ideal for establishing connections and relationships. I hope that I can be a positive part of the progressive dialog moving generations forward to proactive collaboration.
The spirit and workshop context of my open studio cloud based life is immensely fascinating as I feel I can contribute to the zeitgeist that is underway despite negative media. I do feel we can do something. The more people I meet, culture producers and practitioners, I know this to be true.
We are doing something.
JKM
