By using past and present notions of Utopia and Dystopia as a platform, I make landscapes that deal with human ideals and misconceptions of desire, authenticity, and subjugation. In our culture of instant gratification, and fake consumer need, it is hard to tell what desire is genuine, and what will make us happy. It becomes easy to lose ourselves in the bombardment of seduction and many people are left not even knowing what will make them happy anymore. Desire then becomes a paradox where it is necessary for continuation and success, but is also extremely destructive and wasteful. In my work, I enjoy bringing out both sides of my own desire in various ways. For example, I find really exotic locations that I would love to visit but doing so will accelerate their decline since many of the most beautiful places are extremely delicate eco-systems that can no longer tolerate their popularity. Plus, in order to bring a lot the most luxurious desires into fruition, a person, place, or thing has to be exploited or subverted to make it all happen.
My exploration directly relates to globalized culture's search and attempt at perfection in cities, parks, and vacation destinations as it simulated through the scenario of subjugation. This premise plays out through oppressive governments, forced globalization, and continued colonialism in exotic places such as Dubai, Patagonia, Caribbean Islands, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. I use Google Images and magazines to find source material that I collage into new fantasy places. The paintings are highly influenced by the slick, hyper-colored quality of video games, advertising, and animation. The paintings go in and out of flatness, abstract shapes jet out from behind buildings, landscapes become jumbled shapes, neon rainbows over-whelm the sky, and patterned borders stand in place of advertisement text. This use of pattern, over-lapping forms, and dripping paint emphasizes the flatness of the image so that the paintings call attention to their own artificiality. The paint dripped haphazardly onto the finished landscape also has the purpose of destroying or fighting the desire of the idyllic place. Because Utopia has more to do with our limits and vulnerability in Western culture then it does with perfect societies, I can use the Utopian fantasy gray area of cultural seduction and exploitation to explore my desire, repulsion and contribution to it.
My exploration directly relates to globalized culture's search and attempt at perfection in cities, parks, and vacation destinations as it simulated through the scenario of subjugation. This premise plays out through oppressive governments, forced globalization, and continued colonialism in exotic places such as Dubai, Patagonia, Caribbean Islands, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. I use Google Images and magazines to find source material that I collage into new fantasy places. The paintings are highly influenced by the slick, hyper-colored quality of video games, advertising, and animation. The paintings go in and out of flatness, abstract shapes jet out from behind buildings, landscapes become jumbled shapes, neon rainbows over-whelm the sky, and patterned borders stand in place of advertisement text. This use of pattern, over-lapping forms, and dripping paint emphasizes the flatness of the image so that the paintings call attention to their own artificiality. The paint dripped haphazardly onto the finished landscape also has the purpose of destroying or fighting the desire of the idyllic place. Because Utopia has more to do with our limits and vulnerability in Western culture then it does with perfect societies, I can use the Utopian fantasy gray area of cultural seduction and exploitation to explore my desire, repulsion and contribution to it.
