Artist Statement
When I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed, I like to take walks by myself. Walks give me the time and space to be inside of my own head while still being grounded in a real, tangible place. This paradoxical, yet harmonious relationship between the mind and the world is the focus of my artwork. I express themes of peaceful aloneness, escapism, and self-reflection in my work, guiding the viewer to their own version of the feeling I get when taking my walks.
​
To express these ideas, I take an approach that engages both sight and sound. My work combines photographs with original music, immersing the viewer through a portrayal of world and mind. The photographs I take for these pieces are generally somewhere between landscape and street. I want the viewer to be able to place themselves in the world of the photographs and have an experience similar to a walk, so this style of photography suits that goal. I don’t stick to one genre for the music, as different projects call for different compositional styles. The one consistency with the music is that it is instrumental, as these works are meant to guide generally rather than direct specifically. Where the photos represent a tangible reality, the music represents the emotions that only exist in one’s mind. The two mediums coalesce into one transportive experience that gives the viewer an opportunity to escape and reflect.
​
My work takes inspiration from immersive media such as films and single-player video games. These mediums demand the viewer’s full attention, allowing one to be completely invested for their entire duration. I am drawn to the way these mediums combine images and music to achieve this goal, as well as portray a certain tone or mood that generates a deep emotional response.
​
In gallery form, each of my projects features a set of photographs displayed on a wall, with the music played through a boombox and headphones. The wall format allows the viewer to explore the world of the photographs at their own pace and all at once. I use headphones for the music so that the viewer experiences the work alone and is closed off from everything surrounding them. This format aids the ultimate goal of my artwork - encouraging individual self-reflection through immersion and escapism.