Synthetic

Synthetic is an installation piece completed in fulfillment of my senior thesis in studio art. It was shown in a group show, Rooted in Alchemy, at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University in April 2025.

Synthetic (2025)
Picture hanging wire, paper, pipe tube, insulation
foam, flexible joint compound, acrylic, yarn,
decorative ribbon, artificial greenery

Synthetic (Miniature) (2025)
Studio stool, air dry clay, acrylic, yarn, decorative ribbon, artificial greenery

Artist Statement:
I work in immersive installation art as it allows me to create unique experiences for others, encouraging them to engage with the spatial environments I craft. Synthetic mimics a place of luscious nature with sprawling branches strung throughout the space, enveloping the viewer in a fantastic variant of the natural world. The organic forms and wild arrangements trick the mind into perceiving it as a strangely untouched nature. Yet, once you take a closer look, the materiality of the forms becomes clear. Through the use of fabrication and crafting techniques, Synthetic questions the purpose and consequence of manufactured objects on Earth’s environment. I intentionally worked with consumerist plastics and materials (polyester, polyethylene, elastomeric compound, latex paint) to contradict the desired perception of nature. You are welcome to walk through the branches and engage with Synthetic up close. Take a moment to sit. Does it feel like nature to you?