Claire June Apana:
As a child, I was obsessed with origami as it was a means of exploring my asian heritage through art. I was mesmerized by the look and feel of origami papers and found it fascinating that I had the ability to create delicate works of art with a readily available material. My passion for beautiful papers followed me into my career in photography.
My works focus on the concept of Impossible Realities: Paradoxical ways of life that are absolute. Through our actions we are able to inspire change. Previous installations have included a combination of medias in order to convey a nuanced sense of experience. Photography, videography, sound sculptures, paintings, sculpture, and performance create a unique environment for the viewer.
My recent works are performances in which I hand fold massive photographs into sculptures. By integrating origami patterns onto a traditionally two dimensional medium, I am able to create a complex and dimensional photographic sculptures. In manipulating the raw material, I reconstruct the narrative into a new form. Through collective action and solidarity we can contain the chaos around us in order to design stability for all. My art practice is a way of taking control by means of creation.
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS. (2020)
Folded U.S. Currency, Invisible thread, Double faced satin ribbon/ gold chain.
Sculptures and photo series.
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS was created in response to the lack of personal protective equipment available to our nurses, doctors, and other medical staff during this COVID-19 pandemic. This is a message to our politicians; a call to put your
money where your mouth is. If the government cares about the livelihoods of our medical professionals then they should stop selling lifesaving equipment (made in the United States for US hospitals) to other countries that bid higher than we are able to pay. Protect the people against the disease that is Capitalism.
In light of the horrific public lynching of George Floyd, the masks have become even more relevant. This is a critique of the United States' spending. More than half of the US's budget is spent on military and war. We have militarized our police and yet our country is unable to equip doctors with the proper protective gear. We have the funds and the power. We must reallocate according to the People's Budget and defund the police.