Kitchens are not only incredibly varied architectural spaces, but are also infinitely interesting and descriptive cultural spaces. Upon further investigation they can represent something very profound—our identity. In a way, these kitchen drawings are portraits of the people who inhabit them. For many, the kitchen is the heart of the home—a place where meals are prepared, where guests are greeted, where conversations are held, and where families and friends congregate. Like the people who inhabit them, each kitchen is unique in its style and function. They have the potential for representing who we are, our likes and dislikes, our socio-economic position, and much more.
For this body of work, I invited people to allow me into their kitchens. After explaining my thesis, I asked them to prepare their kitchens for my visit. It was up to them to determine how they wanted their spaces seen—tidy, “natural”, arranged, disorderly, in-use, etc. These drawings are representational so that they can tell a story. In these compositions, one becomes drawn to the individual objects that permeate the spaces. It is my intent that viewers will be forced to draw conclusions based on the uniqueness of each kitchen space. With these drawings, I would like to raise questions about who we are as a culture, as a society, and as individuals.
There is also something appropriate about representing these spaces in a drawing, as opposed to other disciplines. The expedient nature of drawing allows spontaneity in my response to each kitchen space. The achromatic nature of the materials forces one to appreciate the sense of light. Although these works are representational in nature, as drawings they provided me with something that photography couldn’t. One can see the tactile nature of the media, the texture of the marks, and the creaminess of the blended materials. I want my drawings to be recognizable, but at the same time contain a certain level of mysterious ambiguity through the process of mark making.
For this body of work, I invited people to allow me into their kitchens. After explaining my thesis, I asked them to prepare their kitchens for my visit. It was up to them to determine how they wanted their spaces seen—tidy, “natural”, arranged, disorderly, in-use, etc. These drawings are representational so that they can tell a story. In these compositions, one becomes drawn to the individual objects that permeate the spaces. It is my intent that viewers will be forced to draw conclusions based on the uniqueness of each kitchen space. With these drawings, I would like to raise questions about who we are as a culture, as a society, and as individuals.
There is also something appropriate about representing these spaces in a drawing, as opposed to other disciplines. The expedient nature of drawing allows spontaneity in my response to each kitchen space. The achromatic nature of the materials forces one to appreciate the sense of light. Although these works are representational in nature, as drawings they provided me with something that photography couldn’t. One can see the tactile nature of the media, the texture of the marks, and the creaminess of the blended materials. I want my drawings to be recognizable, but at the same time contain a certain level of mysterious ambiguity through the process of mark making.