JJ Harty,
Artist

My work deals with the joy of discovery, the beauty of the mundane andcommunication through art and viewer participation. There is something interesting to be found in the temporality of our world, our inattentiveness to our surroundings, exposing the absurdity of our daily existence and the fleetingness of memory and time. It highlights the mundane and relishes in the discovery (and rediscovery) of objects and spaces taken for granted, ignored, or forgotten completely. Texture, line, and shape come together in these spaces and objects like visual poetry. By connecting to spaces and objects and interacting with them—a personal mark is added to enhance, repair, or preserve them. My work includes objects removed from their original place and put in a new context, shadows of obsolete objects and empty or broken spaces unnoticed by the public and ignored by failing infrastructure. Through intervention, repair and preservation of these spaces and objects, a conversation is made with the viewer about the temporality of our existence and the beauty of minute, unnoticed, and ignored spaces around us. Everyday life is understood better through more fully interacting with the world around us. The ultimate goal is for the viewer to share in the moment of discovery and to enjoy the mystery of the spaces and simplicity of the work. The work invites the viewer to begin to investigate and interact with time and place in a new context—discovering new spaces and objects for themselves.