Listening Vent is one piece in a series of work titled “Fragments of the Underworld.” In this series, I explore the psyche, a non-physical space of mystery and unknowing and juxtapose it with the mythological realm, the Underworld. I was specifically interested in repressed childhood trauma and questioning where these parts of ourselves end up and how to access them. The sculptures in this collection of work are surreal fragmentations of memories and nightmares.
Purple colored cotton fabric can be seen throughout this work and it’s meaning can take up many forms. At first it came to me through a memory — sneaking into my Mother’s purple bed sheets at night after having a horrible nightmare. Purple has a very metaphysical quality to it. It is dreamlike and spiritual. The cotton texture reminds me of nurse scrubs specifically ones designed to make the patient feel comfortable and safe. Materials with a sense of false comfort is something I seek in my work.
