Face Forward

Face forward: A body of worked developed at the art residency Arts Itoya, Takeo, Japan. A series of light boxes and large scale canvas. Worked on hand made washi paper and hand made canvas. Image transfer, resin.

Face Forward

Face Forward is a body of work in which I explore the relationship between the effects of the sun and abiotic features within a landscape, alongside themes of queer struggle, emancipation, and concealment. The work stems from the idea that, poetically, as we face forward toward the sun, we walk away from past trauma. The title also plays on the dual meaning of “face,” referring both to the human face and the face of rock within the landscape.

I have produced a series of light boxes and collages, creating an idyllic yet sometimes grotesque, poetic sequence of images. These works represent the tension and dissonance of the human condition.

They depict the unavoidable conflict, and at the same time, the inherent beauty of being human.

Using techniques such as image transfer, a highly physical process applied to handmade paper, I push the material to its limits.

Alongside the visual work, I am developing a zine that brings together fragments of the imagery and process. Accompanying this, I am writing a series of haikus that sit beside the works, offering a more intimate and reflective entry point into the themes.

Through both the process and the resulting images, I seek to evoke a sense of ambiguity and mystery.