Sectioned, 2017 - 2018

An exhibition at the Patton Malott Gallery, Snowmass Village. This exhibition explores the influences of Anderson Ranch Art Centers four artistic directors. A series of photographs 20" x 24", ink drawings, and sculptures.

This research, entitled "The Politics of Exhaustion: Labor, Health, and the Anthropogenic Dilemma," embarks on a comprehensive examination of the sociopolitical dynamics prioritizing labor productivity over individual and collective well-being. The project poses critical questions that interrogate the anthropocentric underpinnings of our societal structures, explicitly asking: "In a culture dominated by exhaustive malaise, how can our experiences and impacts be understood as anything other than anthropogenic?"

This project's artistic and scholarly components employ a multidisciplinary approach to investigate concealed narratives within natural and constructed landscapes. Through extensive walks, the works capture the essence of collective histories, serving as visual and textual repositories that document the complex interplay between labor, environment, and social relations. Utilizing a diverse array of mediums—including photographs, drawings, texts, and sculptures—the project scrutinizes the survival strategies employed by miners in the American West. It delves into the historical and contemporary challenges these laborers faced, from the environmental harshness of their work settings to the complexities of their social interactions.

Notably, the project focuses on the miners' adaptive mechanisms for enduring the physically grueling conditions and the strained social relations often accompanying such labor-intensive occupations. By doing so, the research aims to shed light on the often-overlooked human stories overshadowed by broader economic and industrial narratives. It seeks to reposition these individual and collective experiences within the labor, health, and environmental sustainability discourse.

This expansive investigation aims to contribute to academic and public discourse on the intersections of labor, health, and environmental ethics. The project serves as a visual and intellectual exploration, inviting scholars, practitioners, and the general public to engage in a nuanced interpretive process that extends beyond the immediate aesthetic or historical experience to encompass broader ethical, sociopolitical, and ecological considerations. Thus, the research initiative functions as a complex intertextual dialogue that intersects the personal, the political, and the environmental, offering a comprehensive understanding of the intricate processes that shape our contemporary social fabric.