The Creaturely

Materials: Acrylic and binder on canvas

Animals in my work
The animals and contured monsters or creatures run through all of my work, though some bodies of work focus more explicitly on creatures than others.

My incorporation of the wild animal from a critical perspective developed as I researched Danish artist and CoBra founder, Asger Jorn. Jorn used monsters and creatures to examine human nature after World War II. At the time, I was working with domesticated animals as a metaphor for social conformity and structural violence in the social sphere. I was attracted to the creaturely in Asger Jorn’s work. Much like Carl Jung, Jorn used animal archetypes. He championed the snake, a mythical sign of evil, as his symbol of revolution and communal power.

Animals in the dinner party series.
I often use animals as instigators of chaos in my work. The animal becomes more present as a symbol of blunt honesty and desire.

Animals are useful as archetypes, both referencing cultural ideas and mythological representations. They also hold specific roles in our daily lifes, often reflecting our own discontents.