Artist Statement

Identity is so malleable it can be used to engender unity and pride while equally -- and oppositely -- creating division and inequality for the individual, the group, and the nation. My explorations in art explore this topic from a number of angles.

There is the actor. As a headshot photographer who deals exclusively with actors, I focus not on showing them for who they are (a common misconception even among photographers) but for who they could be. An actor does not rely on just one headshot to get them cast (imagine submitting the photo with an outrageous smile for a dark, dramatic role), they need several headshots portraying all the emotions, all the characters they could portray if given the chance. In this way, they are exploring the range of their own identities -- a good actor does not simply portray a character, they become that character.

There is social media. In a broad sense, most of us who use social media carefully craft our identities for the world around us, often portraying the positive experiences, the personal triumphs, and only exactly what we choose to show. In this way, we curate our own lives. Why is this important? Having control of our lives, how we are seen, allows us all to transcend the labels we are burdened with including race, gender, and ability among many others -- if we choose to. Some of us choose to embrace the labels we inherit as well which is just as valid. The point being that we are in control and not simply having our identities dictated to us.

Imagine the future. I have a vision of the future where everyone walks around wearing a pair of lenses, viewing our surroundings in augmented (or altered) reality, a place where you are always connected to the virtual world; digital ads pop up around the neighborhood and are tailored to your preferences, directions to locations appear in your display, and everyone disguises their natural selves behind an avatar or skin. We appear exactly how we want to be seen. In this way, identity becomes a great equalizer; individuals are no longer judged on preconceived notions based on genetic appearance, attire, or any other visual cues. 

Beyond the headshots, beyond the art, beyond the altered realities, identity serves as the fuel for all my explorations both personally and professionally. It has a hand in everything I touch and forms the basis for my understanding -- and manipulation of -- reality.