T5 ARTIST PROPOSAL FOR LIFE IN PIECES

Figure 1. Proposed installation layout, 2026, drawing by artist.

This body of work investigates identity as a fragmented and unstable condition shaped by ongoing physical and neurological disruption. My installation, Life in Pieces, sits alongside two digital video works Unsolvable and Frustration, forming a cohesive system that examines the experience of living within a body that no longer functions in a predictable or unified way. The work is informed by my lived experience following a near death experience in 2016, which left me with a chronic condition affecting my brain and nervous system. This ongoing misalignment between brain and body forms the conceptual foundation of the work.

The installation translates my body into material form at my own height (162 cm). Inspired by artist Julianne Swartz’s Surrogate (2012), I will construct a pedestal of stacked, handmade concrete and aggregate blocks to represent my physical body. These blocks are rough and deliberately unresolved, reflecting both structural support and the pressure of weight bearing down on me. Positioned on top is a resin block containing multiple layered images of my face. These layers are slightly misaligned, creating a vibrating visual effect. This distortion reflects the internal experience of my condition — that the sense of self is continuously shifting.

The two digital video works extend this idea. Using digital AI processing, the videos explore fragmentation as movement rather than structure. The face and body become unstable, shifting, dissolving, and repeating in ways that mirror the turmoil, frustration and anger I feel every day. The use of digital technology is important, as it enables precise manipulation of the image, reinforcing the idea that identity is altered and restructured through systems beyond my control.

Through experimentation, I have identified both technical and physical challenges. The resin block requires a controlled casting process to embed and layer the image successfully, while the construction of the concrete blocks is labour-intensive and physically demanding. Due to my condition, I am limited in my ability to undertake heavy lifting and sustained physical work. For this project, I intend to test my capabilities by pushing against these limitations throughout the making process. I recognise that the outcome may not be perfect, and that progress may be slower or more difficult than expected. However, this challenge is central to the work, allowing me to confront my illness directly rather than avoid it. The aim is to determine how much I can achieve independently within the timeframe. Where necessary, support will be incorporated.

For exhibition, the presentation of the work will be responsive to the space allocated. Ideally, the installation will be positioned in front of a screen displaying the two digital videos, allowing a direct visual and conceptual relationship between the physical and digital components. However, the scale and spatial arrangement may need to adapt depending on available space. If limitations arise, the positioning, distance between elements, and overall footprint of the work will be adjusted to maintain conceptual clarity.

The body of work does not aim to illustrate pain directly but instead constructs a system where pain is embedded within the material. The installation and videos operate as interconnected components, where both material and digital processes reflect the same conceptual condition.