Keeper
Four Eyes
The Swimmer, Mykonos
Rob Grad
Artist Statement
“If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advancement.” -Orville Wright, American Inventor
As a child, I was uncomfortable. I felt like an alien on earth. Like there had been some cosmic mistake and the angels in heaven sent down the wrong guy. I had this sense that I wasn’t supposed to be here. I didn’t have the capacity to express it at that age, but I understood how I felt.
Limitations and discomfort can have positive effects, however. These feelings led me into a lifetime of searching and learning, to find meaning internally, as well as in the world around me. In my work and my life I am constantly assessing and reassessing my beliefs, ideas and feelings. I'm fascinated with philosophical, psychological and spiritual issues at the core of our existence which reflect my innate desire to live a life infused with meaning, depth and joy.
In my mixed media photographic based assemblages, I use a heavy dose of layering to illustrate and express my internal dichotomies, questions, hypocrisies and evolving perceptions. By blending multiple exposure photographs, with paint and drawings, I experiment. I start with an idea, embarking on a journey with each piece. I bring concepts, imagery, technology and techniques together which on the surface may seem to clash or be incongruous, to create a cohesiveness in my art that I wrestle with in my life.