“BREATH/LESS” takes an in-depth look into the year 2020. Each print is representative of one month of this devastating year. In these prints, I address events that unfolded at the local, national and international levels. From the unjust killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, to countless natural disasters, 2020 will be a year that we will never forget. No matter what month you peer into, you will always be confronted with the lingering crisis that is the pandemic. I spent most of 2020 living vicariously through news stations and social media. This body of work was heavily informed by what I saw, heard, read and chose to further research. I relied heavily on technology to keep me updated and in the loop of what was happening beyond my four walls. The textual information you see is a compilation of news headlines and articles, internet imagery searches, scholarly research papers, and social media posts. All of this information was organized and then manipulated in Photoshop. The compositions were then transferred onto paper through traditional print processes. Knowing that COVID-19 was the underlying issue that occurred throughout 2020, I chose to cut out “windows” and hand stitch pieces of masks and gloves into the paper. This decision reveals that without fail, the global pandemic was always present underneath. Anything that occurred was considered as something “on top of” this public health crisis. My goal with this body of work is to force the viewer to face these challenges head on, instead of attempting to erase all that has happened. Much of what started in 2020, will continue into 2021 and beyond. Moving forward, it’s vital that we address these uncomfortable feelings, accept what has occured and heal together.
This project was created for my BFA thesis exhibition in 2021. Prints are in order by month (January - December).
poly-plate lithograph, screenprint, thread, mask, glove, 10" x 10", series edition of 6
