On Guard, 2022
Description :
On Guard reflects on the tension between comfort and vigilance that accompanied my process of adapting to life in a new country. The sculpture merges a wooden chair, an object associated with rest, stability, and belonging, with the enlarged form of a metal whistle, an object designed to signal warning and demand attention. The chair appears to offer a place to settle, yet its position on the curved surface of the whistle makes that comfort unstable and conditional. This contradiction mirrors my experience of trying to establish a sense of belonging while remaining alert to unfamiliar social structures, expectations, and uncertainties. Through humor and an unexpected collision of everyday objects, On Guard questions whether becoming comfortable within a new environment also requires learning when not to become too comfortable.
