Artist Statement:
Updated may 2024
My artistic practice centers on the principles of improvisation and action painting, where each completed work is the tangible residue of spontaneous, private performances. Employing a variety of tactile methods—rubbing, layering wet-into-wet and wet-onto-dry, dripping, pouring, flinging paint, and smearing with loaded palette knives—my canvases become visual epitaphs of complex emotions and visceral experiences articulated through color and gesture.
Previously, my work grappled with the sense of isolation and the compounded intersectionality inherent in a multifaceted identity, reflecting a nomadic search for belonging amid societal oppressions. This internal conflict was an impetus for my creative output, driving me to create pieces that simultaneously confront and celebrate the nuanced and often contradictory facets of my existence.
Incorporating new influences, my current practice has expanded to include watercolor, ink, and gouache, in addition to acrylic, working on smaller scales and exploring the tactile intimacy of paper. My recent study of Hebrew calligraphy and the conscious integration of Kabbalistic themes has introduced a deliberate merging of the sacred and the secular. These elements infuse my work with a newfound hopefulness, striving for a synthesis that transcends personal identity politics.
By engaging with art historical techniques and tapping into spiritual traditions, my paintings now aspire to transcend their autobiographical origins, aiming instead to evoke universal experiences of connection and empathy. This evolution marks a departure from a sole focus on personal struggle, instead offering a contemplative exploration of unity and the ineffable. Through this, I seek to create a visual lexicon that resonates with both the elation of homecoming and the potential for greater understanding and empathy in the viewer.