Typhoon
Typhoon - Typhoon is a study in contrast—an exploration of balance between hard and soft, weight and flow, strength and vulnerability. Constructed from steel and soft materials, the piece responds to a prompt focused on material duality, but it evolved into something far more personal: a symbolic self-portrait.
When in doubt creatively, I often return to apes—chimps, gorillas, primates. They’ve always held a mirror to something deep and instinctual in me. For this piece, I imagined a gorilla form not as an anatomical study, but as an emotional totem—something powerful, grounded, and quietly expressive, designed to live on a wall like a watchful presence.
The title, Typhoon, came from a brief but memorable Uber ride. My driver, a 31-year-old man, spoke in hesitant English, apologizing for not knowing the language well. Later, I learned he spoke nine languages fluently and had traveled across multiple continents. He shared stories of culture, movement, hardship, and joy—someone who had clearly seen the world, and yet carried himself with warmth, lightness, and an infectious love for life. His name was Typhoon.
This piece holds that same energy: a sense of lived experience, of resilience shaped by movement, and of quiet strength anchored in softness. It’s a reflection on identity—mine, his, and the primal truths we all carry beneath the surface.
Dimensions - 60”Hx46W”x5”D
Typhoon - Typhoon is a study in contrast—an exploration of balance between hard and soft, weight and flow, strength and vulnerability. Constructed from steel and soft materials, the piece responds to a prompt focused on material duality, but it evolved into something far more personal: a symbolic self-portrait.
When in doubt creatively, I often return to apes—chimps, gorillas, primates. They’ve always held a mirror to something deep and instinctual in me. For this piece, I imagined a gorilla form not as an anatomical study, but as an emotional totem—something powerful, grounded, and quietly expressive, designed to live on a wall like a watchful presence.
The title, Typhoon, came from a brief but memorable Uber ride. My driver, a 31-year-old man, spoke in hesitant English, apologizing for not knowing the language well. Later, I learned he spoke nine languages fluently and had traveled across multiple continents. He shared stories of culture, movement, hardship, and joy—someone who had clearly seen the world, and yet carried himself with warmth, lightness, and an infectious love for life. His name was Typhoon.
This piece holds that same energy: a sense of lived experience, of resilience shaped by movement, and of quiet strength anchored in softness. It’s a reflection on identity—mine, his, and the primal truths we all carry beneath the surface.
Dimensions - 60”Hx46W”x5”D