IMMINENT PROXIMITY

PROJECT STATEMENT:

Imminent Proximity confronts the implications of the global pandemic on the human psyche by representing psychological and emotional experiences surrounding our disrupted human need for connection and intimacy.  I use the human form as a means to confront and compel the viewer to consider their own experiences. This work addresses the desire to experience oneness with humanity, but also the anxiety and confusion that prominently underlie our physical relationships in the context of our global pandemic.  In order to explore the impacts of this predicament, I photographed the same small group of dancers over a period of time. The prompts I gave them stemmed from conversations we had in which we shared our personal experiences and thoughts around our current human condition.  What emerged was the cognitive dissonance that still haunts our relationships. We are touch-starved yet hesitant.

This work was specifically created in the magical region of the Pacific Northwest in Washington State. As humans, our bodily relationships to one another are intrinsic. This interconnectedness is echoed in our inseparable union with the natural world. Nature acts as a place of kinship, healing, and protection.

I acknowledge that this work was made on the ancestral land of the Suquamish People. It was made with an awareness of, and respect for the indigenous populations that were here before my family and I, who continue to be here, and who will always be here. I recognize the Suquamish people for being the original caretakers of the lands and waters of Bainbridge Island.

I would like to express my deep gratitude for the movement artists that participated in this project with me: Leah Crosby, Jessica Jobaris, Hendri Wa, Maia Veague and Jason Franklin. Each brought genuine artistry and creative generosity to the work.