Black Box

Black Box (2019-present) is a further exploration of objects in an environment, but here the environments are staged in a studio setting instead of the disrupted landscapes of the earlier work. Although related to these previous series (Excavation, Land Marks and Object Lessons), the Black Box images evolved with their own dark and ominous sensibility. Black Box, as a metaphor for the unknown, seemed an appropriate title. The use of literal black boxes came after the title. Ironically, this series was first exhibited in February 2020, just as the pandemic was beginning to assert its dominance throughout the world.

The objects vary—from discarded remnants of human activity to intriguing scraps of flora—nature’s own debris. The environments are constructed from a diverse gathering of materials and techniques. Weathered surfaces and fine grain cloth. Fire damage and black spray paint. The effect is dark, perhaps appropriate as we navigate the unknown. The series is ongoing in tandem with other current projects.