Queen Bee

In 2016, I experienced the death of my father. This moment catalyzed a contemplative period during which I mourned, and also allowed myself to experience the full range of human emotions, including joy. I began to understand the importance making time and space to deeply feel my emotions.

This particular work is about orgasm as death. “La petite mort,” is a French expression which means "the brief loss or weakening of consciousness" and in modern usage refers specifically to "the sensation of orgasm as likened to death." The phrase refers to a post-orgasmic state of unconsciousness and spiritual release.

While I experienced deep grief, I also felt a tremendous urge to experience joy in my art and to make my creative practice more meaningful and fulfilling. I was able to create a space where great pleasure and extreme sadness could be interconnected. Death became an opportunity to...