Melody Vasquez, Ghost Stair, Stone Lithograph, 22 x 15 in, 2019
Artwork Statement:
Ghost Stair is a reflection on the relationship between habitat and inhabitant. Evidence of history, culture, and everyday use is woven into populated spaces. The impact of human agency creates a rich visual history of cause and effect in areas of development. Graffiti on an exterior staircase is often at a height that matches the physical reach of the maker, showcasing the human urge for opportunistic growth. One location may hold many layers of interaction between individuals and their environments. Just as a staircase is a simultaneous pathway up or down, the visual palimpsest of urban spaces simultaneously communicates evolution and decline. The slow consideration of an image (drawing) is a means to consider changes in place and space over time. Elements of interest are layered and exaggerated to communicate the complexity of these collectively constructed habitats.
Artist Bio:
Melody Vasquez is an artist and educator with a longstanding obsession with printmaking. She is the founder of Interrobang Projects, an independent print shop in Chicago, IL.