My work gives space to the denied, forgotten and lost—a practice informed by being queer, genderfluid, biracial and neurodivergent.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
My favorite pieces are the ones that challenge me beyond what I previously thought was possible. I have often felt powerless, or have been made to feel that way; Art is the antithesis to that feeling. When I accomplish great feats in my practice, I am reminded of what is possible for humans despite real or created odds. It is however when the work connects with others, or resonates with those who feel unseen or unheard, that the work carries a different light and I feel I have done my duty.
Where do you find inspiration?Life endlessly inspires and unravels beauty around us; its entropic nature however, simultaneously bestows some of the greatest of losses and hardships along the way. All my life, I have teetered this balance, transmuting my experiences of loss and pain into something malleable and outside of myself; this is often necessary for someone living with Bipolar Type I. Some experiences, dreams, thoughts, hopes and desires need to live outside of me and it is in my practice where they may come alive.
What would you do with $25,000?I have so many dreams halted, works desperate for their next stage that cannot proceed absent funding, rented facilities or new equipment. This money would go directly towards equipment acquisition, mainly a kiln and its installation, as well as a welding machine–foundational studio development. My greatest dream is to be a self-sufficient artist, one with a studio where I can produce my wildest imaginations without the limitations I currently wade through. This award would give me that chance.
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