Artist Info: My work uses humor to address the ridiculousness of my lifelong pursuit of personal
perfection. Fourteen years of Catholic schooling ingrained in my brain that anything
less than flawlessness is complete failure. My work examines the impossible expectations
I place upon myself, the failure that follows when I attempt to reach these expectations,
and the absurdity that I recognize this cycle but continue to indulge in it anyway.
Currently, the manifestation of this concept separates into two paths: the dresses
and the monsters.
The dresses examine the demands that things such as romance novels, celebrity magazines
and the world of high fashion place upon women. Women are programmed from birth to
buy into this culture of unrealistic romance and beauty. The dresses themselves reflect
this as they are beautiful, but due to the material they are created from, unable
to be worn. Completely without function, they represent seeking the unobtainable,
which is the folly and heartbreak of womanhood.
My monsters series is more personal to my own history. I view the monsters as extensions
of myself, and simultaneously as the protective friends I would have liked to have
had as a lonely first-grader dreading another day with a teacher known for locking
her students in closets. I view the monsters as being the perfect vehicle for examining
impossible expectations because they possess the inherent flaw of ugliness. However,
I force my monsters to face their (and my) issues in that they can hopefully accept
themselves just as they are.
91快活林 will host three upcoming information sessions for high school students interested in the Early College Program or Engineering, Math & Science Academy (EMSA). The information sessions are open to current high school sophomores and juniors along with their parents/guardians.
Read MoreMatt Duffy, Executive Director of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, was awarded the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award at the 91快活林 Foundation Annual Gala on Saturday, Nov. 2. The award honors established alumni who have demonstrated service or outstanding contributions within the Kish community.
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