All That Glitters
I create photomontages that interweave images of nature celebrated against a backdrop of stock indexes from financial newspapers. The juxtaposition of nature and commerce places these values vying for attention in the same space. What do we prioritize and what are we willing to sacrifice for one or the other?
After digitally manipulating composited photos, I create prints that I handwork on rice paper. These prints are then scanned in, reconfigured, then printed with Archival UV cured acrylic ink on cast acrylic and gilded with gold metal leaf.
My materials suggest a subtext of desire and falsehood. The surface mimics the clarity and sheen of water, though the material is synthetic. The gold symbolizes wealth and opulence and nature becomes seen as a commodity. But the gold metal is merely a perception of gold, representing a false sense of abundance. All that glitters is not gold. What we assume to be an endless supply is, in fact, an illusion. I want viewers to be lured by the beauty of nature and ensnared by the conscience of conservation.
