I am a Casualformalist and I believe the object is secondary. As a Casualformalist, art is not an independent pursuit, it merely gives me the possibility of opening a dialogue with humanity. I am not interested in segregation, the segregation of thought from ascetics, or the elite from the poor. My goal is to cr
#Casualformalist Statement
I am a Casualformalist and I believe the object is secondary. As a Casualformalist, art is not an independent pursuit, it merely gives me the possibility of opening a dialogue with humanity. I am not interested in segregation, the segregation of thought from ascetics, or the elite from the poor. My goal is to create objects that can act as platforms for a dialogue that will help every person find their freedom. Obviously this may never happen, but until then I will remain a Casualformalist.
Through my art I attempt to empower my audience by revealing how their personal perspective creates tangible effects on the world. At times my art can be viewed as social commentary, but in fact it is merely an attempt to highlight the reality that our individual perspectives are what shape society. We are only victims if we believe that we are outside the power structure, which is why I focus on reaching a broad audience both inside and outside the traditional art market.
I am illustrating my ethos in an ongoing art project which began with me renting a tear down property in Venice Beach and turning it into a art gallery. I named it the IPNT Gallery (I Prefer Not To Gallery) and the patrons themselves are an intrinsic part of the art. In the pieces I hung throughout the gallery I used “Doost,” my signature medium that is a retro-reflective dust composed of glass and pigment that can only be truly appreciated through the direct application of light. By explaining to visitors that my work can only be fully viewed through flash photography, they are compelled to interact with the pieces by using their cameras and cell phones. The reflective images captured by the patrons are individual, like finger prints, which encourages them to engage with the art and connect with other patrons. I have been documenting their responses and interactions using video and still photography.