Beth Burgess - Artist Statement for Society Today

Weaving together wire and incorporating Apoxie for intimate detail, I create contemporary characters that have the illusion of order and perfection stripped away in order to reveal their true complexity and personal struggles. 

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 The unnaturally twisted bodies address the isolation, objectification and pressures faced by women of modern society.  Carefully chosen accessories are included to evoke sympathy and expose vulnerabilities, individuality, personal struggles, and desire for validation.  Complex mechanical elements, woodworking, and electronics are utilized to direct attention to the subconscious gender bias.

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Visually, values are confronted and absurdities highlighted.  Physical presentation is contrasted with the true self that develops as a result of cultural expectations and our own instinctual wants and desires. 

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The aura of my time is recorded as I seek to inspire conversation addressing the challenges of contemporary culture.