March 2023

“The Mind and Body” series delves into the duality of mental illness, specifically focusing on the internal struggle and conflict that individuals endure. In this series, The Wendigo, an indigenous North American myth, depicts the corruption of the self and the ever-present voice of negativity. The figure’s pose and its overt engagement with the audience pulls the viewer into oblivion, a visual representation of the chaotic omnipresence of mental illness. The background comprises “death flowers,” red roses, tulips, buttercups, and lilies, a reminder of the false comfort that comes with acceptance. The second piece in this series, The Body, explores the fragility of control and the quiet introspection that comes with self-awareness. The figure is in a moment of static contemplation on a bed of flowers, defying the Wendigo’s summons. The figure’s hidden nature and the horns’ size also play into the conflict, as they are hidden or minimized to convey the dominance of the Body. This diptych beckons the audience to wrestle with their individualized perspectives on the conflict that resides within the mind, constant and exhausting.