before I do that I think it would be helpful to give you a brief history of
helpful to give you a brief history of
helpful to give you a brief history of the last 16 years of my image
the last 16 years of my image
the last 16 years of my image development as an artist during 9/11 I
development as an artist during 9/11 I
development as an artist during 9/11 I was in my first year of graduate study
was in my first year of graduate study
was in my first year of graduate study at Ohio State and that radically changed
at Ohio State and that radically changed
at Ohio State and that radically changed where my work the trajectory of my work
where my work the trajectory of my work
where my work the trajectory of my work and it took a year or two for my work to
and it took a year or two for my work to
and it took a year or two for my work to change for the fear and the anxiety that
change for the fear and the anxiety that
change for the fear and the anxiety that had seeped throughout our country in
had seeped throughout our country in
had seeped throughout our country in post 9/11 America to work its way into
post 9/11 America to work its way into
post 9/11 America to work its way into my work but when it did the sort of
my work but when it did the sort of
my work but when it did the sort of primary thing I worked with was the
primary thing I worked with was the
primary thing I worked with was the contradictions I saw in our society
contradictions I saw in our society
contradictions I saw in our society particularly between the ideals of our
particularly between the ideals of our
particularly between the ideals of our nation and the actions of our nation one
nation and the actions of our nation one
nation and the actions of our nation one of my most important works which you’ll
of my most important works which you’ll
of my most important works which you’ll see next is a mushroom cloud treehouse
see next is a mushroom cloud treehouse
see next is a mushroom cloud treehouse and it smashes together two disparate
and it smashes together two disparate
and it smashes together two disparate images one of utter destruction with one
images one of utter destruction with one
images one of utter destruction with one of the safest a mushroom cloud with one
of the safest a mushroom cloud with one
of the safest a mushroom cloud with one of the safe places
of the safe places
of the safe places safest places we can go our childhood
safest places we can go our childhood
safest places we can go our childhood Playhouse and I was trying to comment on
Playhouse and I was trying to comment on
Playhouse and I was trying to comment on how I wasn’t sure the actions of our
how I wasn’t sure the actions of our
how I wasn’t sure the actions of our nation were actually gonna have the
nation were actually gonna have the
nation were actually gonna have the intended outcome of keeping ourselves
intended outcome of keeping ourselves
intended outcome of keeping ourselves safe or at least as safe as we thought
safe or at least as safe as we thought
safe or at least as safe as we thought it would so as if my worked evolved and
it would so as if my worked evolved and
it would so as if my worked evolved and I continued to make work around that
I continued to make work around that
I continued to make work around that central issue I moved to Erie I had my
central issue I moved to Erie I had my
central issue I moved to Erie I had my first child which radically changed my
first child which radically changed my
first child which radically changed my life as any of you have kids know and my
life as any of you have kids know and my
life as any of you have kids know and my work shifted from a national identity
work shifted from a national identity
work shifted from a national identity focused to a more personal identity and
focused to a more personal identity and
focused to a more personal identity and I watched my young son Sebastian grow I
I watched my young son Sebastian grow I
I watched my young son Sebastian grow I saw his identity evolve and I started to
saw his identity evolve and I started to
saw his identity evolve and I started to kind of think about personal identity
kind of think about personal identity
kind of think about personal identity through a consumer lens wondering where
through a consumer lens wondering where
through a consumer lens wondering where do our identities come from how do we
do our identities come from how do we
do our identities come from how do we express them and so that’s what this
express them and so that’s what this
express them and so that’s what this sculptural work is sort of trying to get
sculptural work is sort of trying to get
sculptural work is sort of trying to get at and as I put down roots decided to
at and as I put down roots decided to
at and as I put down roots decided to stay
stay
stay and bought a house had my second child I
and bought a house had my second child I
and bought a house had my second child I started to look out at America and
started to look out at America and
started to look out at America and that’s right about the time of the Great
that’s right about the time of the Great
that’s right about the time of the Great Recession of the housing bubble bursting
Recession of the housing bubble bursting
Recession of the housing bubble bursting and I really saw for the first time that
and I really saw for the first time that
and I really saw for the first time that the middle class seemed to be eroding it
the middle class seemed to be eroding it
the middle class seemed to be eroding it seemed to be teetering as did the
seemed to be teetering as did the
seemed to be teetering as did the American dream and I was trying to
American dream and I was trying to
American dream and I was trying to capture that in this work which is the
capture that in this work which is the
capture that in this work which is the seed of this piece behind us last summer
seed of this piece behind us last summer
seed of this piece behind us last summer I took a walk in California in the
I took a walk in California in the
I took a walk in California in the redwoods with my sister and she
redwoods with my sister and she
redwoods with my sister and she mentioned that trees in that area can
mentioned that trees in that area can
mentioned that trees in that area can network their root systems so that when
network their root systems so that when
network their root systems so that when one tree isn’t getting enough nutrients
one tree isn’t getting enough nutrients
one tree isn’t getting enough nutrients a tree that could be quarter half a mile
a tree that could be quarter half a mile
a tree that could be quarter half a mile away can send the nutrients through the
away can send the nutrients through the
away can send the nutrients through the root system to support that ailing tree
root system to support that ailing tree
root system to support that ailing tree so the whole forest really sustains
so the whole forest really sustains
so the whole forest really sustains itself by every individual member
itself by every individual member
itself by every individual member supporting itself which is another main
supporting itself which is another main
supporting itself which is another main inspiration for what we see behind here
inspiration for what we see behind here
inspiration for what we see behind here I wanted to create an image of community
I wanted to create an image of community
I wanted to create an image of community as a bridge still precarious because I
as a bridge still precarious because I
as a bridge still precarious because I think we’re in a precarious place but
think we’re in a precarious place but
think we’re in a precarious place but sustaining itself through the
sustaining itself through the
sustaining itself through the interlocked nature of its structure so
interlocked nature of its structure so
interlocked nature of its structure so we have all kinds of challenges coming
we have all kinds of challenges coming
we have all kinds of challenges coming at us we have so much political divisive
at us we have so much political divisive
at us we have so much political divisive Ness we have you know factories leaving
Ness we have you know factories leaving
Ness we have you know factories leaving heading overseas heading to other states
heading overseas heading to other states
heading overseas heading to other states shifting economy and I think we can meet
shifting economy and I think we can meet
shifting economy and I think we can meet those challenges I think we have all
those challenges I think we have all
those challenges I think we have all those challenges in Erie but we can meet
those challenges in Erie but we can meet
those challenges in Erie but we can meet them if we interlock if we listen to
them if we interlock if we listen to
them if we interlock if we listen to people even if they have views different
people even if they have views different
people even if they have views different than us so if we keep open ears and
than us so if we keep open ears and
than us so if we keep open ears and interlocked roots I think we’ll be all
interlocked roots I think we’ll be all
interlocked roots I think we’ll be all right so thank you very much
right so thank you very much
right so thank you very much [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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