Artistic Statement
As an artist, I have found that there is a living history and language that we harvest and lives in the body. This form of language and history exists beyond words, but movement can release it. A person’s body language creates an outlet for others to respond to. When I observe people, I ask myself, “Why are their shoulders hunched forward? What emotion causes their body to hold such a tense position?” I am curious about where these habitual movements and ticks originate for different people, and how these gestures can shape how a person moves through the world. In diving into this concept, I have discovered that I connect more deeply to another person when I look past simple gestures and try to notice their body language. Which drove me to think: how many of our senses do we use to create empathy or communicate? These layers are all involved in a way of listening that I want to develop both as an artist and as a person in community with others.