Washington, DC, 2015
Stumbling Forward is a personal meditation on the malleable nature of identity and my new role as a single liberated father. As I began to reveal the tales of my exploits in this strange and awkward new territory, I quickly became aware of the humor that laid beneath the embarrassing daily struggles and experiences generated by my scattered ego.
The tomfoolery that develops between the public and the impromptu art interventions of my characters is as cathartic as it is infectious. The laughter that ensues is a welcome restorative on both sides of the curb. While, the humor of this project is immediately apparent, I did not appreciate the weight and intimate personal force of these characters until I donned the ceramic headpieces and began to perform under their mantel.
These performances returned me to the difficult and uncomfortable balancing act that one plays as a single parent. While these mud coiffures can be seen as transformational, they are truly a visual marker of the internal struggle of a baffled man, trying to grab a foothold on an ever-shifting landscape. A man who has quickly realized that the way forward is not always led by one voice.