Mixed Media Installation | Wood, Acrylic, Magnetic Dust, Magnet, Inkjet Photo Print

54” x 44” x 30”

At the heart of “Willy Nilly” lies a dynamic interplay between legitimacy and illegitimacy, both of the artwork itself and the identity it represents. This duality is meticulously mirrored in the reference to the game ‘Woolly Willy’, a childhood toy that allows for the whimsical manipulation of hair on the face of a red nosed cartoon character using a magnetic wand. This reference is not only a nod to the transient and often playful nature of hair as a medium of self-expression but also a subtle critique of the ease with which external forces can redefine and reshape one’s identity.

The artwork’s frame is a critical component, rich in symbolism. The gilded frame pays homage to the historical grandeur of illuminated manuscripts, symbolizing the weight of tradition and the authoritative voice of historical and cultural texts in shaping perceptions of the body and of the self. In contrast, the deep-seated institutional influences that these color codes represent challenges and highlights the rigid binaries perpetuated by these institutions..

Will Nilly, is not just an artwork but a conversation starter, a mirror held up to society, reflecting the complex and often contradictory narratives that surround our bodies and identities. It invites viewers to question, to interact, and to partake in the ongoing discourse about the power dynamics that shape our perception of the self and what we perceive as the other.