Art Process

I’ve always been fascinated with prosthetics both from an artistic and philosophical point of view. The way a prosthetic recontextualizes the body, not just the body on which it is installed, but *all* bodies, simply by extension of its very existence, is something I often think about. What is the dividing line, if any, between prosthesis and tool, prosthesis and ornament, prosthesis and medicine? Are our cellphones prosthetic extensions of our brains? What about contact lenses? What about Jewelry? I’ve always felt as though jewelry and bodily adornment, like so many other things crafted by humans, represents one more way in which we, the pink, naked creatures; have created our own prosthetic approximations of the gifts that animals are born with. Our knives stand in for fangs and claws, our clothes for thick hides, and in many ways I think our adornments are made to serve the roles normally performed by feathery tails, frilly crests, and elaborate antlers.

During my undergrad time at MassArt, I made some pieces exploring this direction, and seeing the objects at MetalWaterStudio have reminded me of them, and of the thoughts surrounding them.