Tristan Cross

Artist Statement

I use both spatial and drawing to best demonstrate personal and social identities that either separate or combine the mediums. Half of my work that focuses on personal identity is about who I am as not only an artist, but as a person. I see myself as a person that runs wild with emotions, so I tend to articulate facial expressions and include objects that resonate with me the most .The other half exhibits social and political issues such as black rights, women reproductive rights, and government corruption that I’ve always been interested in since middle school. The use of representation and symbolism are important elements that I use when making work, along with context.My overall goal is to create art that I not only enjoy making, but leaves myself and others to think.

A few artists that I admire are Kara Walker and Carrie Weem. I also like contemporary artists that create art that highlights African American history, because this is one of my areas of focus. Another artist that I draw inspiration and as a tool, is a musician, Kendrick Lamar. Many of his albums focus on his life experiences, as well as the black community and how that has impacted him and others. My process of making art requires me to sometimes fail. This has taught me that I can learn and adapt in order to find solutions without a clear path. I have learned that over time when working on my art and expressing myself that frustrations and challenges allow me to find ways to solve them through art which is extremely rewarding to me. Working out my frustrations and challenges make me a better problem solver. The challenges that I encounter while working on art have helped me gain a greater knowledge and understanding of how to prevent issues again in the future. Trial and error is one of the most human things to do in life, especially when it comes to art, and that is a motto I live by.