Mess Artist Statement

In a world where media has a constant presence in our lives, we are continually reminded of our faults. Issues of pollution, war, poverty, inequality, climate change, and corruption seem to be brought up daily. Even when trying to tune things out, the conversation inevitably creeps back in.

The future seems overwhelmingly negative; there’s rarely uplifting news, and every time we tune in it feels like another tick on the doomsday clock. This barrage of negative information has us looking for those responsible, which makes it easy to point fingers and blame the world. Constantly looking outward brews a mindset where the burden of responsibility is outside oneself, and blames life’s suffering on others. Life is inherently tragic, the best we can do is confront it willingly. We need to tackle these issues on a smaller scale, within our own world; and change what we can as individuals before facing worldwide crises.

My work is focused on the issues that I have personally faced and observed, the things I’ve recognized and know I need to change about myself. If you set out to transform the world without setting your own house in order, your ideas could do more harm than good. It’s almost impossible to change the world, so the best thing to do is confront it voluntarily and allow experience to shape you into a more understanding person.

The aesthetic of my work highlights the potential consequences of not having an open approach to life. If you close yourself off and do not allow for change, the world will feel like an overwhelming place. Not recognizing your faults is self-destructive, and you’ll be stuck wondering if it was reality or yourself who brought you to this crisis. Similar to a post apocalyptic world, where you have to salvage from the remnants of a previous life in order to continue.