1994-1997

A newfound awareness in politics demanded a medium that produced a brash, powerful image. I was drawn to the narrative potential of woodcut printing, as well as the fundamental nature of the medium. The harsh quality of the end results said as much about the world as my subjects did.

Series 1 implements the juxtaposition of contrasting words and images in a criticism of the selfishness and arrogance of our culture. Ranging from the defeated eyes of a Haitian refugee to the timid posture of a homeless woman, these works aimed to show us just how much we take for granted.

The American Tragedy Series reveals the circle of hatred that lies not only in bigoted racism, but in the hearts of each of us who have ever pointed a finger at another. A trilogy of woodcuts, the viewer sees his or her own hand in accusatory gesture, the innocent melancholy of being left behind, the fear and triumph in lending a hand to help.

Three solo prints cry in their wilderness. A diptych expresses outrage at those who would extinguish a valuable human life; another shows the dark side of the good life—the emptiness many have felt amidst the company of friends. Finally, the poignant revelation of a quickly vanishing culture appears in the depiction of an endemic Korean man, clinging tightly to his “old” ways, determined to persevere.

This collection of prints is meant to motivate those who see it. An incisive view for a privileged society, it exposes reality, yet holds firmly to the belief that each of us has a choice—to ignore the ugly, dark side of humanity, or to be saddened, even angered by it, and have the courage to stand for something better.