Nada House Artist Residency 2022, Governor’s Island New York

Nestled in the servant’s quarters of Nada House I have centered my artist residency on objects of trade between the matriarchal society of the Lanape People and Wouter Van Twiller, general for the Dutch West India Company in 1637. The traditional hunting ground of Nut Island (Governor‘s Island ) was reportedly occupied in exchange for two axe heads, a string of beads and a handful of nails. Thus, marking the inception of this island as a military presence that has been an active landscape in every major battle fought on American soil since. This complicated and meager offering/ occupation has become the focus of my work at Nada House. The Owl, a globally present master of hunting, and symbolic image of wisdom and observation stands as a tall guardian of this black papered night space. The 86” gesso owl paintings hang in close quarters with the objects of trade and encounter the viewer in a meditation of value, sacrifice and power. Outside of the room of papered installation and clay oil paintings of Owls in states of hunt invite the viewer into a relationship with the nature of hunting.