Transitioning from moments of contemplation to disruption to meditation, this exhibition is an invitation to explore the complexities of our relationship with landscape and shelter. The work prompts introspection on the fleeting nature of comfort, the enduring resonance of time, and the power of facing destruction with resilience. The work explores the significance of shelters and materials in the landscape as reflections of diverse human experiences.
Tents are metaphors for different mindsets and places in life, representing safe spaces, recreational spaces, spaces of impermanence, and spaces of solitude. Materials such as tent mesh and lumber are employed to evoke tactile sensations, forging a connection between the audience and the tangible elements of the outdoor world. Tents and backcountry shelters, reproduced and recontextualized here, represent the transient nature of joy and discomfort within the natural landscape, inviting viewers to reflect on the impermanence of our encounters with the wilderness. In the outdoors, they help to cultivate an experience with nature we might otherwise never see.
Windows serve as both witnesses and portals, offering glimpses into an inside-outside space where certainties are shattered and the distinction between safety and peril becomes elusive. As viewers grapple with the unknown, the windows act as both barriers and conduits, blurring the boundaries between what is deemed secure and what is exposed to the uncontrollable forces of nature. The video installation unfolds as a visceral experience, confronting the audience with the raw power of natural disasters and the subsequent destruction of property, and placing them in a state of disquieting uncertainty. Oscillating between the protected confines of an interior and the unpredictable, often perilous exterior environment, the work questions the safety and significance of the spaces we construct.
The reality of hunting and the intersection of meditation and contemplation prompt deeper reflections on the dualities present in our relationship with the wilderness. Through imagery that transcends the traditional concept of hunting, shelter-in-place delves into the profundity of spending time alone in the woods as a form of reflection, drawing focus away from the animal to reveal the intense connection between the solitary individual and the natural environment. Salts, minerals, berries, and other natural materials incorporated directly into the work become a poetic exploration of the temporal aspects of the woods, inviting contemplation on the passage of time and the enduring resonance of the natural world. The deer blind challenges conventional perceptions, reframing itself as a sanctuary for introspection.
In its entirety, this exhibition explores our complex relationship with nature through the symbolism of tents, windows, and hunting blinds. It invites contemplation on the impermanence of our encounters with the wilderness, the resilience needed in facing destruction, and the enduring impact of our experiences. By challenging perceptions of comfort and time, shelter-in-place prompts introspection into the significance of the spaces we construct and the connections we forge with the wild.
MFA thesis exhibition, shelter-in-place
Bolivar Gallery, March 2024