ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is a reflection on the cycles of rage, sadness, and acceptance that result from untreated mental illness, family dysfunction, and internalized homophobia and misogyny. The work presented is a dark, humorous abstraction of specific memories that involve my parents and the dynamic of our household. Found objects are abstracted by mended fabric with imperfect stitching to personify the mental, emotional, and physical trauma I still struggle to overcome. These pieces are created through the use of both factory-produced domestic objects and hand-sewn fiber forms juxtaposed to form a surreal, dreamlike space. The process of constructing each piece involves self-reflection of my own destructive tendencies and how they correlate to things from my past.
My installation uses the familiarity of domestic items to simultaneously tell my personal story and the universal shared trauma of queer, female youth.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Megan Roethler attended the University of Northern Iowa where she received a BFA in painting. As a young person from rural Iowa, she grasped onto any art-related opportunity she could find, Megan has participated in art fairs, contests, and many juried shows. As a young artist yet to receive an MFA she hopes to widen her horizons on contemporary art practice within the Midwest before she explores graduate studies.
© Megan Roethler