CONTEXT

acrylic paint on vintage map of the usa, thumb tacks | 2023

i am interested in how the meaning of an object, concept, or word changes based on the conditions surrounding it, or who is interacting with it.

this piece displays the webster dictionary definitions of certain words - but not the word itself - painted onto separated sections of a map to show how the meanings of words can change depending on what context they are viewed or used in.

the use of maps as the canvas is meant to evoke a sense of awareness to realities outside the viewer’s own experience, as well as to position these definitions within the context of the social/economic/political realities of the united states.

this simple and straightforward display is intentional - chosen to allow the words to speak for themselves, and to allow the viewer to come to their own conclusion of the meaning.