Untitled (from the series Overhead, a raven). Digital pigment print. 2016.

The title of this exhibition refers to the ancient belief that the raven is a messenger between the spirit and mortal worlds. As it soars overhead, clicking and squawking, it communicates back to the gods about the plight of human existence. The title is also a dry, ironic reference to the human-subsidized predatory bird which thrives on excess consumption. It observes with scrutiny, reporting back to the patriarchy whilst pursuing garbage. In some cultures, when the raven flies overhead, it signifies good fortune; in others, it predicts death. Thus the raven can either guide or impair the weary traveler as she negotiates the land. This exhibition asks the viewer to consider a subjective human relationship between the animal, the land, and self. 

The work in this exhibition depicts Southern California’s urban ecology and the ongoing severe drought. Photographs, audio recordings and video were created by the artist whilst hiking in theSan Gabriel Mountains, urban parks, city streets, and greater Mojave region. Dead urban plants were collected and saved, brought back to the studio, and washed, dried, and painted as a sequence of burial rites. The presentation of this work is an improvised, experimental sequence of tactics used to create new associations of meaning through self-reflection and analysis.