Artist Statement
Separation is a 5-channel video installation, combining video and text. The content of the work contrasts my emotions and feelings during many Middle East deployments with those of the present.
The installation, creating a one-by-five vertical video wall, begins with text displaying definitions of the word separation as it applies to the military. The use of text is simple, as if from a PowerPoint presentation. The words describe my feelings and emotions as a combat veteran. I use words like mission, team, honor, and sacrifice to describe my time as an aircrew on C-130, flying combat missions. The background, made of the repeated pattern of my ribbon rack, is a historical record of sorts of my military accomplishments.
The video transitions to me in the present day, wearing civilian clothing and unshaven. Words like Addiction, Anxiety, Depression, and Running, describe my civilian experience.
The blue background is an official Air Force color, referencing the blue sky and the dress’s blue uniform. Flying and spending time in the air influences who I am today and my personal history.