Suppression


The Mice and the Marbles series currently includes charcoal drawings as well as an oil painting and a sculptural installation which thematically deal with the realities of what it is like to have Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD). The artwork directly references a scientific experiment intended to help further advance treatments of OCD. Within the official study, marbles are placed inside the enclosure of a mouse with obsessive compulsive tendencies, upon which the mouse compulsively buries them. However, when given various forms of treatment, the marbles would remain untouched. The creation of these pieces themselves references key characteristics of OCD, including the desire for repetition and order, an inherent part of the human psyche, as contrasted with the acceptance of naturalistic and organic chaos. Each piece replicates specific emotions associated with the disorder, including fear, confusion, anticipation, doubt, and relief, in an attempt to show various sides of this mental illness that is so commonly misunderstood.


2020-Current