AJ West

Artist Statement

My name is AJ West and I am a Fetus.

The fetal stages of life are marked by a period of warm encapsulation. Where you are entirely unformed, fragile in every sense, and your only goal is to grow. The fetal stages of my practice are similarly marked. As I am surrounded by the warmth of community and friends who are in their own exploration period, my art functions as an umbilical cord. It nurtures and connects me to the world. My work is a branching network of exploration and material discovery.

Poetic themes lay scattered, clustered through each piece, clinging to foam scraps and silica particulates. My art takes over rooms, and lingers in the minds of each who bear witness. Each installation I make is so visually different from the last. I work with mixed media, often foam, and ceramics. Plasters, paper mache, chicken wire, cardboard, and mold making materials are also utilized in my craft. My only aim is to make space for myself and other unformed vessels, as a means of connection, with hope that one day we may be born. As an undergrad artist who isn’t focused on a single line of work, I have found joy in this unbridled exploration. I have found joy in being a fetus.