Objects provide us with a sense of self and reveal our connections to the wider world. Often loaded with meaning, they reflect both our internal emotional world and the external image we present to others.
Objects form the backbone of my creative practice and the work I make is often inspired by personal experience. Using found objects from the everyday and dating from the last century, my work revolves around assemblage, collage and installation. Much of the raw material I use comes from the paraphernalia I've collected over the years. I'm interested in objects as clear indicators of the passage of time and tend to gravitate towards those that have distinct signs of usage and wear, though, in complete contrast, I'm equally fascinated by tacky and vulgar mass-produced pound shop/souvenir items. The theme of value and worth is central to my work and the items I present open up opportunities for personal and political discussion around class, gender, privilege and taste. Wider themes of loss and remembrance also run through, reflecting my fascination with the permanence of objects versus the fragility of human existence. |