Fellowships 2021

The stock market is commonly used to gauge the overall health of economies and is followed with an almost religious fervor. The major corporations that drive the market continue to increase in size and power through consolidations and governmental influence. They write many of our laws and regulations, control legislation, and play a significant role in foreign and domestic policy. My work utilizes data visualization and systems-based strategies to investigate corporate power and global institutions. I am interested in the connections created through the movement of capital, business, and organizations.

Pulling from the history of abstract painting, this body of work transforms color fields with data-driven formats, replacing the formal and idealistic space of Modernism with our new idol – the market.

My recent research has focused on two main points of reference: stock market indices and alternative trading systems. Stock market indices, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, are the most commonly used indicators for the status of an economy. By creating a visual representation of changes in the stock index based on the phrase “in the red/in the black,” (with reds indicating a loss of value and blacks indicating gains) my work presents a moment of significance through the lens of market value. Both personal and international connections can be found in these changes or one can see a system divorced from the reality of most people’s lives laid bare.

Alternative trading systems, also called dark pools, are private stock exchanges offered by banks and other institutions. They offer their clients privacy and can prevent affecting stock prices when flooding the market with large new orders. However, they also lack the transparency and regulations of the public stock exchanges and are quickly increasing in popularity in the US. My work explores this shift to secrecy by creating pieces that are almost legible and accessible but continually fall short.

Through extensive research I look to discover various representations of different global networks and activities. I transform this data into a visually complex piece with conceptually disorienting elements, both revealing and concealing information. I hope my work challenges viewers to gain a new view into the powerful entities that affect our lives.

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