Artist Statement

My practice is defined by three principal concerns: futurism and ethics, the iconography of autonomous internet communities and the concept of esoteric or hidden truth. My formative experiences were framed by the transition from analogue to digital; a development that marked yet another dramatic shift in human culture in an era of exponential change. I grew up into a world that accepted hyperconnectivity as the norm, locked in the glow of an ever present screen. Reality fractured, with the digital realm becoming a distinct and immersive experience replete with its own nomenclature and established communities.

Our cultural output and social interactions continue to be increasingly mediated via technology, bringing with them ethical concerns never before imagined and not adequately addressed by either law nor an established philosophical framework. Our contemporary moment is marked by the unprecedented and potentially terrifying evolution of the human experience.  

As new forces of influence emerge from the online world and our sensory environment is distorted and enhanced by post-human capabilities, it is difficult to predict the ultimate result of our experimentation. As previous institutions, religious and governmental, have lost connection with the public, a new mythos is in genesis. The search for meaning and shared values is increasingly established through internet lore, our online selves projecting the most extreme good and bad humanity is capable of.

The detritus of this virtual hunger for identity is the instigator of my exploration. The conspiracy You Tubers live streaming three hour shows about recent global events in raging, hysterical voices. A young woman who is unceremoniously “doxxed” and now her life is in danger. The incomprehensible pool of data, exposing our fragility, secrets, desires and ingenuity. In this murky, frequently amoral landscape can we trust ourselves not to give into our darkest desires? Can we embrace A.I without becoming enmeshed, or crushed, by our beloved machines? What old Gods and new monsters will ‘the dawn of new everything’ invoke into being?