pods

Oddly inserted imagery, residues of trauma, juxtaposed elements and awkward, occasionally humourous moments are montaged within installation environments and video imagery that paradoxically reflect the North American drive towards physical, emotional and mental perfection and relaxation. Self-improvement is motivated by the desire to navigate successfully though suffering and failure, and results in the promotion of a generalized “wellness”. Such ambitions ultimately seek to provide security against the certainty of decay. Wellness is attainable though the use of accoutrements such as exercise aids and a myriad of synthetic substitutions for happiness – just as comfort might be achieved through the gaze transfixed on video monitors, auditory pacification, and the relief of physical stress on the body found in the use of ergonomic devices. However, a sense of disconnection and unreality hovers, regardless of the soothing qualities inherent in these constructions, and we may find ourselves inept at physically engaging with objects such as message chairs or videos. An ambiguity resides with environments designed for relations and self-improvement, haunting the subject even in their attempts to relax.

Vancouver, BC
Simon Fraser University
2005