Port Moody Secondary School

Artist Statement
My favourite aspect of art is its ability to document and convey personal experiences. I find it incredible that I can externalize my thoughts so they can be communicated without my physical presence. The art that I’ve submitted to this exhibition examines the desire to belong to a larger group on both a personal and universal scale. The formation of cultures and values and the cognitive tendency to categorize are sociological subjects that I want to better understand, particularly in how they serve to shape my own identity.

Accessibility is my guiding value, and the Arte Povera movement is highly influential upon my medium choices. My visual style also follows this philosophy, as it is most strongly influenced by contemporary animation and illustration. Rather than creating a separation between the languages of “high-culture” and “low-culture” art, relying on more universally recognizable symbols allows me to reach a larger audience that has historically been excluded from the formal arts community. I hope to continue to deconstruct this cultural boundary in my post-secondary pursuit of a career in animation.

Through my art, I want to create a space of belonging for people that have previously felt they did not have one.