Body of Work, 2024

22 softground etchings on Rives BFK, kate, ink, glass, and frame.

In "Body of Work," I explore the intersection of physical presence and artistic representation through a series of soft ground etchings that transform my body into fragmented self-portraits. By pressing various sections of my body directly onto copper plates, I create a deconstructed vision of self that challenges traditional notions of portraiture and printmaking.

The process begins with the intimate act of impression—my three-dimensional form transferring onto two-dimensional plates. These impressions are then etched, creating a series of fragments that I reassemble into new configurations of self. As the project evolved, I expanded beyond frontal impressions to capture multiple angles, resulting in an almost three-dimensional representation on paper that speaks to the complexity of bodily experience.

This work draws inspiration from the contemporary phenomenon of body scanning—a digital form of self-impression often treated as a playful prank. By translating this modern gesture into the language of traditional printmaking, I bridge the gap between digital and analog art forms, transforming a casual act into a serious artistic inquiry.

The etching process reveals previously hidden aspects of my physical self—intricate patterns of pores, subtle textures of hair and skin, the topography of wrinkles and creases. While some information is lost in the transfer from body to plate to paper, new details emerge through the pressure of impression, chemical reactions, and ink absorption. This simultaneous loss and gain of information creates images that are both intimately familiar and startlingly alien, challenging my own self-perception and raising questions about the nature of representation.

While acknowledging the historical precedent of body printing in works by artists such as David Hammons, Yves Klein, and Ana Mendieta, "Body of Work" offers a distinct perspective through its personal nature and its synthesis of traditional and contemporary techniques. The series stands as an ongoing exploration of self-representation in the digital age, contributing to the broader dialogue about body art, self-portraiture, and the evolving relationship between technology and traditional media.

As both artist and material, I am literally pressed into these works, making myself an integral component of their creation. This dual role allows me to explore the boundaries between creator and created, observer and observed, physical and representational self.