Bio
Alex Epps uses a mix of traditional disciplines and alternative, highly accessible materials in mostly installation pieces. She creates work as though conducting an ethnography, using theory anthropology, frequently focused on education with participant observation. Alex has received her Bachelor’s in Anthropology with a minor in archaeology from the University of North Texas and an informal art education through her family members ranging from craft to high art. Her background is in fibers art and photography but is currently a part of the sculpture graduate program at the University of North Texas as well as a teaching fellow, teaching assistant, and area assistant.
Artist Statement
Education, anthropology and visual art are used in combination to create work that relates those who may or may not fit inside their current stereotype or the label arranged for each race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or anyone for that matter. In the 20th and 21st century the untested boundaries that were founded in new technology became highly accessible. This has altered the way in which teachers teach, students learn, and how society thinks of knowledge, education, and how it is accessed. No longer does society fit its’ own guidelines or ‘box,’ we are coming up with new ways to accommodate and communicate all the changes. Constantly, we are changing and although this is not a new phenomenon, amongst all the new technologies and assumptions; we are battling the past assumptions, boundaries, and stereotypes.
Being that my first degree is in anthropology, I create my work and installations as if I am conducting an ethnography, using participant observations and taking in the words of the observed and supplemented with theory anthropology. Research techniques of anthropology and a combination of traditional disciplines; fibers, photography and sculpture help to explore the emotion and phenomenon of societal changes happening in the 20th and 21st century.
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Final Process Post
Materials for final piece: Tracing paper, Surface hardener (Amazing Fa-bric), pigment ,acrylic paint, and LED lights. Tracing paper that has translucent, wispy and light feeling, almost as if it is not there connects to the size and weight of the screens we use today. So many screens are made for mobility making the technology very light and handy. As I find more and more possibilities for tracing paper in the making process... -
Glow and Circadian rhythms
Currently, I have a concept enveloping Glow/ light and the long standing importance the sources have in human existence, that has yet to be fully developed or pushed in my current body of work. TVs, computers, cell phones etc. have a glow, a light source that light up when in use, this glowing has continued to be intriguing and powerful whether the glow comes from the sun, stars, fire, etc. that are...