Immersive · Interactive · Installation

moment / of suspension / of disbelief

Ingram Gallery, Nashville, TN · 2013

moment / of suspension / of disbelief was an immersive, interactive art installation — a solo exhibition inspired by the ordinary, wonderous images of childhood. I've always gravitated toward art that can be touched, heard, and experienced. This show was my first playground to experiment with that instinct.

Time and space as material.

I designed the gallery as a black box, inspired by immersive theater. Through a visual language of childhood objects, the work explored the "in-betweenness" of growing up: the limitlessness of childhood, the burdens of aging, the relief and stillness at moments in the center.

Installation view — the black-box gallery with all three works — Installation — three works in a black box gallery

The Works

Found branch · rope · reclaimed swing seat

Swing

Suspended from a found branch, this handmade tree swing is frozen at its apex, capturing the split-second of tension between terror and wonder just before the fall. Following high demand for exhibition, the piece toured multiple campus galleries. I envision this work as the genesis for a broader series—retaining its simple, evocative design while achieving massive scale through heavy metal fabrication. Ultimately, my goal is to evolve these sculptures into permanent public works that inhabit spaces like parks, museums, and libraries.

Looped projection onto cloth, copper, and wood

Momentum

A looped projection of hand-drawn, rotoscoped playground footage cast onto floating, kite-like screens. Constructed from cloth, copper, and wood, these staggered surfaces act as a fractured canvas that physically breaks the moving image apart. As the distant, blurry footage rolls over the installation, pieces of the animation drop out into the negative space. By allowing these fragments to disappear between the screens, the piece mirrors how our memories fade over time—highlighting the everyday moments and details that inevitably slip through the cracks.

The hand-drawn animation, frame by frame

Digital projection · rope · wood

Disbelief

Another handmade swing, this one functional and set in front of a projector which would cycle through various interactive worlds. As participants pushed off, the projections scaled to match their movement, making it feel like they were swinging deep inside the image. This subtle magic was powered by a Wii controller and some hidden IR sensors. The piece brought people from all over the city into the gallery; it rewards curiosity, play, and a willingness to seek out wonder. I wanted to build something that only completed itself when someone stepped in and used it: art you finish by participating. It was the first time I made an experience that way, and it pushed me to want more. (Note: Massive thanks to our gallery tech who manned the installation daily.)

Gallery

Recognition

Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet Award

For this exhibition, I was awarded the Hamblet Award — Vanderbilt's highest honor for a graduating fine artist, chosen annually by a jury of three professional artists from outside the university. The award is endowed to provide an opportunity: funding that unlocks the time and means to make work. With this $25,000 award, I was able to pursue a year of independent studio practice and travel after graduation.

About the award · Vanderbilt Dept. of Art →

The exhibition title and artist name in white vinyl on the black gallery wall