repeat this tone

We spend unknown spans of time staring at our phones. The enchantress' capacity to show us anything we desire is its seductive, paralyzing venom. 

A few days ago, a Sunday school teacher spoke to me and said that the people with guns shouldn't be the ones who are scared, but when they are, it's everyone's problem. Years ago an old buddy of mine said something that stuck with me, "When it comes to bullets, they're written to 'whom it may concern.' " Today is the last day I'll say "stay safe", as a good teacher pointed out to it implies if anything were to happen, it's their fault for not being "safe". Instead, I'll use their wording for now on, "Stay vigilant".

This piece is an homage to Samia's colorful geometric abstract work.

a colorful flickering square artwork featuring small ovals in a cut-out grid

In response to the cancellation of Samia Halaby's exhibition at Indiana University, an intaglio print was created to symbolize the desire for peace amidst the tumult of global chaos. The use of the poppy flower in this print holds deep symbolic significance. Poppies, traditionally associated with remembrance and tranquility, emerge prominently in the image. Their vibrant red petals contrast sharply against the subdued, tumultuous background, symbolizing hope and resilience. The print captures a poignant sense of longing for a peaceful world, where art and culture can flourish without interruption or censorship.  The cancellation of Halaby's exhibition represents a loss for artistic expression, yet the intaglio print turns this moment into a powerful statement. By placing poppies at the center, it pays homage to a time when art could serve as a bridge toward understanding and harmony. Ultimately, the print calls for a return to a world where art can thrive, even in the face of adversity.

My version of this dark classic painting.

A school of fish made from inspiration found in Halaby's work. The fish appears to be on flames, or perhaps jeweled. 

I stand artists both under represented and whose voices are being suppressed.

This is a painting about my trip abroad and all the friends I made there. They were people from all over the world and I learned so much from them, so this painting was to capture those memories and people.

This piece delves into the persistent disrespect experienced by women globally. A tumultuous tumbling of hybrid female forms evokes the stampede sculptures of Frederick Remington. Unlike Remington's portrayals of heroic cowboys, this piece reflects my anguish over the recurring narratives of women enduring dehumanization and control worldwide.  During the creation of this piece, significant events unfolded: the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, women in Iran protested the killing of Mahsa Amini by waving flags made of their hair, and at our own school recently, Samia Halaby's well-deserved retrospective was abruptly canceled without apology or explanation. These figures remain in perpetual motion, embodying despair yet refusing to yield in their determination to thrive.

This piece delves into the persistent disrespect experienced by women globally. A tumultuous tumbling of hybrid female forms evokes the stampede sculptures of Frederick Remington. Unlike Remington's portrayals of heroic cowboys, this piece reflects my anguish over the recurring narratives of women enduring dehumanization and control worldwide.  During the creation of this piece, significant events unfolded: the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, women in Iran protested the killing of Mahsa Amini by waving flags made of their hair, and at our own school recently, Samia Halaby's well-deserved retrospective was abruptly canceled without apology or explanation. These figures remain in perpetual motion, embodying despair yet refusing to yield in their determination to thrive.

I have been extremely inspired by Samia Halaby's refusal to back down and continual embracing of her own heritage in the face of institutions attempting to push down these aspects of her identity.  In this work I am aiming to mimic Halaby's iconic abstract work alongside a Keffiyeh to celebrate her as both an extremely prolific artist as well as a passionate activist.   

IF – NOW:  from the series American Truths Between 2022 and 2023, I made a 17,740-mile pilgrimage to sites of former Japanese incarceration camps during WWII in an attempt to understand how the inherent racism in my American experience had confined the former generation of Japanese American to such desolate places. IF – NOW series, consists of self-portraits juxtaposed with remnants of various Japanese internment camps throughout the United States. These diptychs are an attempt to question my dual identity beyond my own memory but also to visualize the unfamiliar past that traumatized many Japanese Americans who experienced unspeakable discrimination by their homeland. IF – NOW was born out of this search for a link to my Japanese American identity and visually challenges the current trend of covering up America’s inconvenient histories.

IF – NOW:  from the series American Truths Between 2022 and 2023, I made a 17,740-mile pilgrimage to sites of former Japanese incarceration camps during WWII in an attempt to understand how the inherent racism in my American experience had confined the former generation of Japanese American to such desolate places. IF – NOW series, consists of self-portraits juxtaposed with remnants of various Japanese internment camps throughout the United States. These diptychs are an attempt to question my dual identity beyond my own memory but also to visualize the unfamiliar past that traumatized many Japanese Americans who experienced unspeakable discrimination by their homeland. IF – NOW was born out of this search for a link to my Japanese American identity and visually challenges the current trend of covering up America’s inconvenient histories.

IF – NOW:  from the series American Truths Between 2022 and 2023, I made a 17,740-mile pilgrimage to sites of former Japanese incarceration camps during WWII in an attempt to understand how the inherent racism in my American experience had confined the former generation of Japanese American to such desolate places. IF – NOW series, consists of self-portraits juxtaposed with remnants of various Japanese internment camps throughout the United States. These diptychs are an attempt to question my dual identity beyond my own memory but also to visualize the unfamiliar past that traumatized many Japanese Americans who experienced unspeakable discrimination by their homeland. IF – NOW was born out of this search for a link to my Japanese American identity and visually challenges the current trend of covering up America’s inconvenient histories.

The world has watched and responded in outrage at the cancellation of artists’ shows, firing of staff, and the repression of those who speak in solidarity with Palestine and against the genocide that is taking place. As much as Indiana University administration, galleries, workplaces, and politicians try to silence those who stand in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, they will never succeed - Palestine with be free!    Palestine has a rich legacy of political poster designers and artists. Working within my primary medium, graphic design, I am inspired by the visuals of these modernist Arab aesthetics. 

Oil on two canvases, that can move in and out towards and away from one another. 

A stone lithography print that depicts two people embracing.