The Year of the Moths
For my solo exhibition titled The Year of the Moths, I painted 75 miniature moth paintings that wove in and out between large-scale paintings and sculptures. This exhibition was in part of my Reclamation series where I dove deep into memories and experiences of my past in order to shape and reclaim my present reality.
The (real) moths first made an appearance in Albuquerque, NM in spring of 2012. It was a strange little year where several different moth species’ hatch times all seemed to line up. This meant hoards of moths hatching and mingling together, flying through the air, and inhabiting spaces they didn’t belong. This meant parks were lined with moths so thick that the grass became moths, houses’ interior ceilings became moths, and at some point the Kirkland Air Force base had to halt planes because the moth to plane radar ratio was too confusing to bear. We were all moths.
I look back on this memory because it was so specific and weird and difficult. It felt like this dark cloud of muddy looking moths would never disappear. But one night the veil lifted! It was as if they never appeared in the first place. We could see the sun again. The Air Force Base could fly their planes again!
We were all changed by this experience. But life moves through even the most difficult and strange of times. If we stay strong and persevere, we will eventually be plopped back into paths of normalcy, comfort, and curiosity. We will never forget the Year of the Moths. We are better because of it.
2017
