Relic is a looping 5K video project rooted in the concepts behind cubism. Although it is a video work, it is best understood in the context of photography or painting rather than film. It is like a moving photograph.
The technique I used to construct the image of the Statue of Liberty is rooted in quantum theory. At the subatomic level, there are limits to determinism (the uncertainty principle). In other words, subatomic particles exist in a state of probability rather than certainty. This work imagines how the visible world might look if it behaved similar to the subatomic world; a place where solid matter is in a constant state of flux.
The Statue of Liberty once represented the ideals of western civilization and became a beacon of hope for immigrants. In recent years it has transformed into a figurehead for nationalism. This work points to the rising tide of nationalisms in reaction to the migrant crisis. The visual fragmentation of the Statue of Liberty in “Relic” draws together ideas of subatomic determinism with the shifting sands of globalization and the decline of the American Empire.
Relic (2015) 2-channel video