Statement

I blur the line between human and animal in my paintings, making portraits of monkeys and apes imbued with qualities that seem unique to our species while exaggerating that which makes them different from us. Beyond simply anthropomorphizing these primates I am interested in creating psychological depictions of them that open up possibilities for the viewer to re-asses where they stand in relation to these animals. Simians interest me because, as our closest relatives in the wild, they often seem peculiarly human yet remain exotic and 'other.' These contradictory qualities invite us to consider ourselves in a different light, perhaps recognizing certain of our traits as 'animal' while acknowledging some level of 'humanity' in these animals. I want my portraits to capture such disparate qualities and confuse what it means to be human as the viewer looks at them, seeing themselves in the aspects that seem familiar while at the same time seeing the 'other' in themselves - and vice versa.

Other artists, Henri Rousseau and Tony Oursler among them, have dealt with liminal portrayals of animals and humans, creating images that allow us to evaluate what it means to be animal and question what is recognizably human in depictions. Rousseau represents animals in painted constructions of nature that are pure fabrication, having no analogue in the world beyond his canvases. Within Rousseau's romanticized jungle scenes he includes many depictions of monkeys that are so strikingly humanoid in appearance and pose that the viewer is left to question whether Rousseau is implying that we are a bunch of monkeys or that perhaps monkeys are more human than they seem.

Tony Oursler's work is altogether different from Rousseau's, but it also asks questions about the condition of being human. Oursler made a series of collages consisting of amorphous, organic shapes on which photographs of human eyes were placed, making these blob-like shapes appear uncannily human with only a minimal indication of human appearance. He reveals that there can be a very fine line between what we do and do not perceive as human. While Rousseau's and Oursler's work shares little formal similarity, both show that the distinctions which make us human are not so clear. This is what I find most important in the works of these artists. While I tackle this common issue as well, I do so in a very different manner informed in part by recent scientific studies which assert complex relationships between ourselves and animals in the wild.

Behavioral scientists and biologists are finding that many attributes once considered to be solely human such as culture, tool use, innovation – even language and compassion – seem to have roots in the animal world. The possibility of so many behavioral and emotional parallels leads to a growing ambiguity about what it means to be human or animal. To address this ambiguity I place monkeys and apes against backgrounds consisting of color fades and gradients to create a certain sense of limbo and displacement. I provide a different context in which to encounter these animals, removed from zoos with faux-natural settings and apart from images of them in their natural habitats, to see if this can dissolve preconceived ideas of what they are supposed to be. I tend to choose primates that have distinctly different physical traits from humans so an immediate relationship between us and them is unclear. I slow the read of my paintings by making subtle changes to these animals, like replacing their eyes with my own, providing an opportunity to get beyond the first impression to a lasting impression of commonality. Sometimes I choose monkeys and apes that are already posed in rather humanoid manners to stress our similarities. I paint these primates with a mix of graphic abstraction and realism so they are both uncanny and obviously constructed. This gives the viewer a chance to connect with what seems real, while acknowledging that the images I paint are fantasies. Ultimately my paintings are sites for imaginative speculation where barriers can break down and new connections and considerations can be made.

I focus on the notion of humanity within the human/animal interface to break down the dichotomy between these polarizing labels. My paintings transgress this boundary to encourage viewers to question how they define humanity as separate from animal and to see a greater level of continuity between themselves and the natural world.