senior thesis show: bodily

Artist Statement

Bodily is a response to being diagnosed with chronic yet invisible illnesses as an adolescent, and a subsequent ten years of maneuvering through one unhealthy coping mechanism to another. Working with this concept over the past five years and finally building this series has allowed me to reach a neutral state of spirituality, helping me heal from a long time of self-punishment and shaming [myself] for things I thought I should have control over, but never could. Self-harm and restrictive eating were big aspects of my life I had to and am still unlearning. It has been a process of going with the flow and trying to hold onto and subsequently let go of things as they should, not when I am ready to release control. This is reflected in both the outer and inner surface works. These sculpts are hollow, with holes intentionally placed to allow specific views into the inner dilapidation, a direct and stark contrast to the androgynous forms decorated with meaning and emotion. Building these felt automated in the sense that I was in a balance of listening to my body and to the clay as to not overwork and ruin either one. Glazing the insides was a direct emotional response to where I was at the point in the process, haphazard with no thinking.

Visually, the BODILY collection is a team of ambiguous biomorphic forms that work together to express a distinct contradiction between outer visuals and inner workings. Conceptually, it’s the culmination of a decade’s worth of physical and emotional healing, finally being released in the form of both sculpture and poetry. View the outer decorations and follow the words and imagery as they wrap around the surface. Interact with the holes within the surface. Find a light source, be it your cellphone, a flashlight, or just the light given to you by the space and explore the inner workings of both sculptures. This combination of outer decorative work, automated internal applications, and intentional viewpoints, I have created a visual representation of how it feels to constantly feel stuck in a limbo between showing vulnerable aspects of yourself versus keeping them hidden for the sake of self-perception.