Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2026

Author's School

Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Author's Department

Graduate School of Art

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Art

Degree Type

Thesis

Abstract

Reconciliation examines the intersection between chronic pain, Catholic theology, and contemporary sound art through the lens of radical honesty. It documents a dramatic aesthetic and spiritual pivot in my art practice, moving from grotesque, abject portrayals of agony to a hopeful representation of redemptive suffering. I share how the project evolved from an installation of anthropomorphic furniture to a sculptural work using my bed, to an audio piece presented in a semi-private “confessional booth,” all while challenging the misconceptions surrounding chronic pain and disability. Utilizing the theories of Roland Barthes, I break down the semiological and authorial aspects of the artwork, while comparing it with controversial contemporary artists like ORLAN and David Wojnarowicz. Ultimately, Reconciliation aims to generate a restorative dialogue to break down the adversarial relationship between Christianity and the contemporary art world. Moreover, by placing the viewer in a site of shared vulnerability, the work transcends the spectacle of pain to offer a pathway to everlasting hope.

Language

English

Program Chair

Tiffany Calvert

Thesis Text Advisor

Heather Bennett

Faculty Mentor

Heather Bennett

Committee Member

Tiffany Calvert

Committee Member

Heather Bennett

Committee Member

Monika Weiss

Committee Member

Patricia Olynyk

Artist's Statement

My artistic practice has been led by a search for a visual language that can translate the isolation of chronic pain into a shared experience. In my previous work, I relied on grotesque imagery to trigger a visceral response, turning my pain into a spectacle rather than a reflection of my genuine experience. Then, I used humor in an attempt to humanize my pain and make it accessible to a general audience. However, through my process of recovery and reflection, I realized that making my pain “comfortable” for able-bodied viewers was actually a disservice to the reality of my honest testimony.

This transition from the abject, to humor, to radical honesty has been fundamentally shaped by my conversion to Catholicism. The Catholic Church views suffering as an honor because, when offered to God, it unites the sufferer with Christ’s Passion. Consequently, in offering up my pain, I can participate in the salvation of souls alongside my Savior. This contrasts from the "Bootstraps Theology” that is popular in Protestant circles, which portrays pain as a reflection of one’s spiritual and moral failings. In my artwork, I showcase pain as a pathway to sanctification, not a punishment for one’s sins, in order to highlight the hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. 

I believe my unbridled honesty and genuine desire to build empathy allows my work to reach across the religious and secular divide. I hold no hidden agenda; instead, I put my faith at the forefront and speak openly about my physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles. In this way, my work connects to the universal experience of suffering with a level of vulnerability that encourages viewers to lower their guards in response. 

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