Artist Statement
my relationship with screens has changed so much.
post-COVID, i feel trapped in a world of screens, stuck sitting in front of a screen for hours on end for work or school. the whole time, all i want is a connection; but when i’m on my own time, i just move over to another screen and stare some more. i’d like to say that things were different before the pandemic, but i had already been mindlessly using them for a while.
this disconnect makes me uneasy.
i remember when i was younger and my dad would sometimes let me play games on his phone. looking back, the screen was tiny and the games were simple, but in the moment it also felt magical. i was completely engrossed and engaged and it was with something as simple as Solitaire. this series reflects my journey to find that magic again.
observing someone looking at their phone sometimes feels like watching someone fall under a spell. some of the magic comes from holding a work of art and interfacing with it directly, peering down into it instead of staring through it. that’s why these tablets are meant to be touched and understood not just as an image, but also as objects: rough textures, activated edges, and all. while the symbols, images, and forms are simple and were sourced from the devices and internet, the interplay between them, the rough texture, glossy layers, and activated brushstrokes invite further introspection into one’s relationship with the people shown.
