THE AVALON SERIES

This series was created by drawing inspiration from the
changing nature of the space in our home on Avalon Avenue.

This project began with the notion that one's sense of self
is separate from their physical body. Generally, I would
assume that most people closely identify themselves as
their body and the face they see in the mirror. Yet,
philosophers and theologians have drawn the distinction
between one's physical body and their inner-residing sense
of self. With these thoughts in mind, I first explored this
question of identity by photographing myself nude, wearing
Japanese Noh masks. I chose to be nude as this removed
modern artifacts embedded with meaning, leaving a primal
context on which to build. The Noh masks offer a variety of
strongly emotional readings and allowed me to begin an
exploration into the tension held between self and body.
I had initially created stripped-down, singular identities
with these masks, employing portraiture as an artistic
approach.However as I examined these images, I found
myself intrigued by the inherent sense of drama and
narrative they revealed. This understanding prompted
a shift in my approach. Following this narrative tug,
I moved to create something more open and complex
and began introducing the idea of place into my images,
immersing these identities in specific environments.
Recognizing the impact of the spaces in which we live on
our sense of self and identity, I began photographing within
the empty rooms of our house on Avalon Avenue; at first in
the silent and empty rooms; then during the chaos, noise
and dirt of construction; and finally in the warm and furnished
home it became. I hope to draw as much from these
environments as from the masks, combining them with my
own ideas of building meaning and narrative.

Using in-camera multiple-exposure and representing my
body at different scales, I seek to create layers of meaning
and a more complex psychological or dreamlike sense of
narrative. Understanding that our sense of self embodies
the cumulation of our personal experience,I now pursue this
narrative. My current work draws on personal experience as
well as quoting classical works of art as springboards
toward a larger dialogue with the viewer.