Sight Excavation

Community Arts, MFA Thesis Exhibition

Sheila and Richard Riggs Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art

April 16, 2022 - May 1, 2022

BIG WISH

I remember playing outside as a child and feeling the satisfying chill of fresh air as it whipped past my face during spontaneous sprints. It’s also hard to forget the bothersome itch I would endure after playing in the grass for too long. Memories such as those remind me of how much I yearned to be outdoors where an abundance of life is in full view. From trees to flowers, and bees to birds, there was much to look at and observe. In addition to taking in my surroundings, I would survey the ground for a white, fluffy ball that usually sat atop a skinny green stem. This puffball was mostly lightweight with tiny white fibers that protruded from a central point and were somewhat see-through. To me, it was and still is majestic. I learned that this small living wonder was a matured dandelion plant, and whenever I got ahold of one I was encouraged to blow on it as if I’m blowing out candles on a birthday cake, and proceed to make a wish. Performing this act was joyful in itself, but learning down the line that the filaments I blew out into the world were actually seeds shifted my perspective about nature and wishes (read: prayers). Big Wish serves as a reminder that it is never too late to wish, pray, or speak things into existence because each moment taken to focus on what I want nurtures the seed that was planted in the first place. This innocent act, long-standing since childhood, is ritualistic, both physically and spiritually.

Gemini’s Introspection

During the first year in the Community Arts MFA program, we learned about the many layers of Baltimore, researched the history of the marginalizing systems and powers that be, and delved deep into what it means to be a socially-engaged artist. We also created a lot of monoprints as instructed by Kenneth Krafchek, faculty and director of the Community Arts program at the time, to show our understanding and interpretation of the readings and discussions. One of these monoprints was the seed of my thesis. I drew a picture of two people digging a hole where one person poses the question, “Where are we going?” To which the other person responds, “Deeper.” This image depicted the feeling of anxious inquiry and impending discovery that I felt deep within. Gemini’s Introspection pulled directly from this particular moment. I knew I was about to learn something more about myself in relation to my art practice and something told me I was ready. The title Gemini’s Introspection derives from my moon sign, Gemini, and its effect on my attachment to ideas. This astrological placement makes me very interested in abstract thought, philosophy, and ideas, sometimes at a distance. When it comes to my art practice and my vision around it, however, there was but so much separation that I could afford with my authenticity and integrity on the line. Knowing that was the case, I knew there was much self-examination to do before proceeding any further.

Altar to Love, Community, and Art

During one of our Making Art in Community I classes, we were introduced to Amalia Mesa-Bains who utilizes altars in her art practice. Considering our connection to our individual art practices we were tasked to create our own. I chose to make an altar dedicated to love, community, and art. For love: a child is born with a great deal of it before society shows it otherwise. For community: my people ground me and affirm my existence, encouraging me to do the same for others. For art: I believe it is a language that belongs to everyone and through collaboration we are able to come together for a vision of equitable liberation and positive change. I chose to cover this piece with crushed, charred wood from the campfires that took place at Lacy Oasis during wellness retreats and friend gatherings to enhance the healing energy of Community.

Not Just Monsteras

In the fall of 2021, I got the inclination to embark on a journey that would aid in bringing more life to my thesis, while cultivating genuine relationships within the LGBTQ community in Baltimore. I applied for a research grant that would allow me to have conversations with people about gender, identity, and healing - three topics that have been spotlighted in my life for the past two years (eight years if you factor in my Saturn Return, which began at age 27). Of course, I don’t necessarily need money to have conversations with people, but I wanted to pay the individuals I spoke with because I know how laborious sharing one’s journey of healing can be. It is no easy feat. I was aware that revisiting moments that made them feel small and inconvenient had the possibility of producing harm. And though the space I created was nurturing, open, and honest, I wanted to show up for my people in that way considering the adversities already placed against us due to our identities (i.e. inaccessible quality healthcare, discrimination, unaffordable housing, inefficient pay). Throughout January and February of 2022, I interviewed eleven people over Zoom and recorded their responses surrounding gender, identity, their relationship with Baltimore, and how they approach their healing. After transcribing their words, I created a zine compiled of medicinal plants that grow in and around Baltimore and paired them with each person. The vision for this project was to emphasize the inherent diversity among human life and the harmony it can produce when careful consideration goes into understanding the interrelated nature of our collective existence as well as our individual multiplicities. It was also meant to document the lives of LGBTQ people since we have been written out of history for far too long.

Sight Excavation

With no experience creating an art installation in a space such as the Riggs Gallery at MICA, I was thrilled to construct something impactful. I wanted to bring the sanctuary-life effects and grounding energy of Lacy Oasis (LO) to Baltimore and the MICA community. I used the inspiration from mycelium that is prevalent in wooded areas to create a structure that speaks to death and rebirth. I infused acrylic paint with soil from LO to coat the branches that I foraged from LO and Southwest Baltimore. The crochet piece that serves as the tree trunk was weaved with prayers to my ancestors and in the likeness of Chicken of the Woods, a type of edible mushroom. A black rug that lived in my studio was cut in half and used as the base of the installation, representing a spiritual ether and the alchemy of transformation. Beaded insects were placed above and around the installation to make the nature-like composition complete and imply the presence of ancestral spirits.