Acrylic Paintings
Dimensions: 8 ft. x 8 ft. x 11 paintings
9 1/2 ft. x 6 1/2 ft. x 1 painting
8 ft. x 4 ft. x 2 paintings
Materials: Canvas, Wood, Paint
Ongoing Series (2018 - present)
The ongoing opiate crisis in Vancouver has profoundly impacted the community for many years. As you walk through the streets and back alleys of this city, you may come across cobalt-blue latex tourniquets, commonly referred to as “ties,” scattered on the ground. These long strips of elastic are used to constrict blood flow, making veins more visible for easier needle access. After use, they are discarded, each one creating a unique shape as it lands. Daily, city cleaning crews sweep up these ties and other debris, only for the cycle to begin anew.
Inspired by this stark reality, I began photographing the ties I encountered during my daily walks, which led to the development of an ongoing series of large-scale acrylic paintings. For each piece, I construct the frame and stretch and prime the canvas. The backgrounds of the original tie images have been erased and replaced with a matte titanium white, while the ties themselves are enlarged to monumental proportions—averaging 8 ft. x 8 ft. The depth of each tie has been erased while retaining the exact cobalt-blue coloration found on the streets of Vancouver.