|
Comics
Artist
Statement
Art Portfolio
Influences
Other
Stuff
Home
|
AWARE
Art, to me, is experiencing life through another’s eyes. My eyes are filled with the beauty of simple things, the delicate balance of one vs many, and the wonder of the world we live in. I think the Japanese aesthetic deeply mirrors my own in this regard. The Japanese word ‘aware’ (pronounced ‘ah-wah-reh’), says everything I want to say about art. It means this:
A sense of beauty found in something seemingly worthless.
By this I mean to say that in the Western world we find beauty in a flower at its fullest bloom, and then throw it away when the petals go limp. The Japanese, however, find beauty in every part of the cycle, especially the bittersweet sadness of the wilted decay. This pathos and sympathy for aesthetic value is the essence of ‘aware.’
My art is composed of trash. In this room you will find 250 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper that teachers have handed me, that people have left on billboards long after expired dates, or LSC plaza propagandists have shoved in my hand over the course of 4 years. I could have seen nothing but trash. I could have thrown them away. But I see incredible beauty in everything. Perhaps you do too. Here’s to being more ‘aware.’
The show at a distance...
From the ground looking up...
My niece and brother-in-law in the fray...
Hanging Device of pine and white paper...
Suspended from ceiling with fishing line...
Shadows on the Wall...
Shadows on the Floor
Mother enjoys all the glitters...
|