Swimmer's Dilemma
Swimmer's Dilemma, also sometimes simply called "Surfaces," is a suite of over two dozen one-color screenprints that are individualized through the application of watercolor paint into the negative space of the "water."
This body of work was executed in 2016 and refers to the classic short story "The Swimmer," by John Cheever. In the story, an increasingly delusional protagonist attempts to travel from an afternoon party with friends to his home by way of his friendly neighbor's backyard pools instead of a traditional foot path or road, only to find that his plan is irrevocably flawed. I would say more, but instead, I'd prefer you read the story itself.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1964/07/18/the-swimmer
I often draw inspiration from literature and poetry and this body of work is no exception. The Swimmer's Dilemma pulls in Neddy's story while also ticking into my own growing sense of personal disenfranchisement from my familial and career aspirations and my fears around personal failures.
These prints are often (but not always) shown in conjunction with "Dive," the diving board that I created from cedar planks. To Dive, is a gesture of faith onto itself. One doesn't dive unless there is confidence that there is something safe to dive in to. In the case of the larger Dive and Surfaces installation there is no safety, only the unknown.