The works in Shielded State were originally inspired by images of protective gear worn by medical personnel, law enforcement, protesters, and others since the pandemic hit in 2020. As the series evolved, the narrative encompassed both past and current societal practices of exclusion and division. The wall relief format emphasizes the shield-like nature of the barriers and façades we invent. The forms allude to the multiplicity of ways we create or experience separation from one another literally and/or symbolically. Metal protrusions, hanging threads and fabric strips insinuate transition, time, and the pain of exclusion. Opaque heads with stitched words are physically emphatic, but transparent, diaphanous bodies reveal the flimsiness of our flawed labels and ideas.

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