ARTIST STATEMENT.
O F C A Y L A B I R K .
My artwork re-conceptualizes social and cultural subject matters. In my work, I allude to popular iconography, musical lyricism, and current verbal slang that pervade society. While boasting engaging, diverse subjects: secret orders, hip-hop music, and contemporary design - my work reproduces familiar visual signs, arranging them into new conceptually layered pieces.
Often times these themes are combined into mixed media installations that feature colloquial objects, juxtaposed with meticulous signature drawings, and often embellished with graphic typography. The varied color palette establishes a positive approachable quality, suggests notions of vibrance, and formally unifies the disparate objects in each installation. The texts provide clues to content and interpretation.
While I use a variety of materials and processes in each project my methodology is consistent. Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects they are linked by recurring formal concerns and through the subject matter itself. The topic of each body of work determines the materials and forms used.
I often pay homage to historical events and characters. Each project consists of multiple works, often in a range of different media, grouped around specific themes and meanings. During research and production new areas of interest arise and lead to the next body of work.