Curatorial Statement

Recontextualization is a project that focuses on the importance of background and context in the interpretation of a piece. The subject matter is an elevator sign in Hunt Library. Onto this sign are projected several different "backgrounds", each of which seeks to place the imagery on the sign into a new context, leading to different interpretations of what the sign really means. The driving idea behind this work is to get viewers to see the sign in a different light each time, and to develop various ideas about the meaning of the sign based on the context it is being placed in. This piece is heavily influenced by Banksy's work in particular, as he often takes certain objects and paints around or on them to give them new meaning, a prime example being Boy With Hammer. Extinguishing Bodies by Miranda Jacoby and The Mourners by Ali Momeni also guided the development of this piece.