Personnage

Personnage I (topped)

Figurative sculpture has always been concerned primarily with representation. Whether commemorating an event, memory, or honoring an individual, sculptors communicate this through compositional gesturing and informing space to stir a feeling. The sculptor works to keep a memory alive, or something meaningful from falling into obscurity.

Personnage I developed in 2019 at the advent of Covid. Through social media I discovered four of my friends had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the span of 3 months, one being my high school best friend who I’d drawn countless times.

Through a series of interviews and independent research Personnage branched into a series of a dozen sculptures, and the focus expanded to include the related subjects of gender, identity, and the physiological topographies in which those topics are often defined.

Upon learning of my friend's diagnosis, I found myself shamefully unaware of the myriad emotions and abrupt decisions that occur. I was left only with empathy, ignorant of treatment options or the types of support available. I found I needed to learn more about what experiences individuals faced with these life-changing medical issues.

The creation of these works have informed me, as I hope they do others when they engage with the body of work.

It's been quite edifying to witness and learn from the responses of the public. People have expressed joy in finding themselves represented.