(in progress)

From presidents to kings, billionaires to supermodels, scientists to spiritual leaders this intimate collection of portraits documents who we value, what we protect, why we believe, when we follow, where we invest, and how we decide. The project addresses a delegation of influence, allocation of resources, and the possession of power. It illustrates authority, dominance, hierarchy, and control while emphasizing humanism, behavior, and esotericism. Each portrait is a collage of curated content, natural landscapes, and handmade drawings. Color is used intentionally, and symbolically to communicate time, location, and sentiment while the overall aesthetic reiterates visual appeal and naturalistic effects.

In response to the AI era, artificial processes are also introduced into the artwork. While the ideation, aesthetic, and content remain consistent, the new media allows for an unplanned investigation of the intersection connecting physical reality and simulated existence while revealing another layer of materiality. It suggests the delicate relationship between creative expression and verifiable truth while demonstrating the boundaries among perspective, perception, and fact.

The art pieces are digitally projected (as 2D objects or 3D holograms) onto a surface or into space (i.e. an existing natural element like grass or a spontaneous sustainable material like cotton) outdoors at historically significant, naturally preserved, and contextually relevant locations. The profiles are shown in both still and moving frames distinguished by their organic environment. Minimalist figures highlight a state of expression, thought, behavior, or defining characterization. The silhouettes are displayed individually or among other figures in a continuous film to create one cohesive performance. The story ultimately disappears leaving only the original structure upon which it was projected. The large scale format (between 22’ x 22’ and 72’ x 72’) illustrates grandeur, imposition, and sovereignty. The concrete characters are projected into an ethereal dimension commanding a sense of godliness, supremacy, and weightlessness.

Beyond initiating historical intimacy, audiences are engaged to consider themes of control, proprietary, possession, territory, rights, and title. By witnessing the art, in a specific place at a unique moment, observers participate in a dialogue about time and belonging. The design romanticizes larger than life realties and confirms the ideals of prestige, affluence, intellectual charge, and strength, while reinforcing the transformation of ownership, property, and space.