jefferson xia
I like the desolate and spectral.
Past, present, future
Discarded objects,
Forgotten
Spaces void of people
This is the essence of my work,
and how I get there is deeply rooted in materiality.
Hardware, wire, cast iron,
Plastic, rubble, mirrors,
Brick, wood, fabric,
Packaging, plants
This inconclusive list of components is ever evolving,
growing alongside me.
Hard, soft, cold, warm
Each object has their own unique presence,
Each of which I consider carefully.
Old, new,
Forgotten, recovered
The amalgamation produces new permutations.
I work and think through the lens, both through the abstract lens with which we see the world, and the literal lens of the camera. Through motifs of disuse and abandonment, I try to frame and capture a melancholic feeling of emptiness—the lack of being. Photographs of my work have become more than just an objective form of documentation. Intentional staging, cropping, and distortions embody the core of what I wish to express. Without the sculpture, there would be no photograph; without the photograph, there would be no sculpture.
Yet there may be hope in my work. Hope of rebirth, redemption, and renewal. Hope that even I don't fully believe it at times. But hope nevertheless.
