The Hum

If a sound defines America, it would be the droning of a lawnmower. It's a quintessentially American sound conjuring images of manicured lawns, ordered suburbia, and pastures. Growing up at the borders of these well-tended enclaves, I was drawn to the different pace of life they promised.

This work reflects the rapid and disorientating transformation of my childhood landscape, which mirrors broader changes happening in communities nationwide. Created from chain link fencing, charred tree bark, and framing, it directly responds to my experiences growing up in rural Northeast Florida in the 90s, where I explored the ruins of turn-of-the-century homesteads and witnessed the effects of wildfires and the growing presence of drug use in my community. I titled this exhibit The Hum, which refers to the exhibit's audio, the replacement of the natural sounds of the environment, and the constant hum of modern life—the rat race. Through this work, I explore the complexities and contradictions of rural life—a reality far from the simple, idyllic existence often portrayed. This exhibit takes inspiration from the decline of the American Ideal, themes explored in Philip Roth's American Pastoral, particularly the loss of innocence in the face of social and political change.

The model represents the central element of the exhibit: a stark, almost desert-like ‘homestead’ area that suggests abandonment or the harsh realities of change. A subtle and Persistent lawnmower sound, like a background hum, permeates the space occupied by the installation. Surrounding this central space, the gallery walls will feature small earthenware tablets and panels, each ‘framed’ by the organic texture of the clay. These panels will feature minimal yet evocative landscape paintings of lush skies with the landscape redacted or fertile fields that dissolve into the black ground.

Outline

Title: The Hum

Alternative Titles: Where the Grass Once Grew, Forgotten Fields, Under a Changing Sky

Dimensions: 10’ H x 20’ W x 20’ D (dims variable by space)

Materials: Two primary artworks (Longleaf and Firebreak), burnt 2x4 lumber and framing elements, a large section of chain-link fencing resembling a screen door, a suspended ball-peen hammer, a brick and branches, and a mirrored reflecting pool in a separate room. If space permits, several small paintings of fields (created with foraged wild clays, ash, and oils) will be included to contrast the desert-like installation.

Audio: A subtle and persistent lawnmower sound, like a background hum, permeates the space occupied by the installation. It won’t be overwhelming or distracting but rather a constant presence that creates a sense of unease. The steady hum of a lawnmower is a psychological marker of suburban routine—a sound that can be both soothing and oppressive, replacing natural silence with the monotony of maintenance. It becomes a presence in the space, acting as both a memory trigger and an inescapable force.

Narrative: The installation tells the story of a crumbling homestead.

Core Concept: The quiet spaces between, loss of memory, and the unattainability of the American Dream - particularly homeownership, the erosion of the middle class and the growing disconnect from nature, and the reality of social and environmental decay. This installation reflects on broader transformations—how landscapes shift due to economic, political, and environmental forces. It’s about displacement, erasure, and the tension between preservation and progress.

Pacing and Contrast: The lawnmower sound will connect all the spaces, while the paintings and the water room can offer different perspectives on the themes.

Installation: The two artworks (Longleaf and Firebreak) and the reflecting pool will be crated and shipped to the gallery with the paintings. All other elements are readily available at local building suppliers; a detailed shopping list and instructions on which lumber to cut will be provided. Audio equipment will be hidden under the platform. The reflecting pool will be placed in a darkened adjacent gallery plugged in and filled with water; its pump is designed to run continuously to throw water caustics on the walls and ceiling. Paintings will be hung in groupings.

The Water Caustic Room: The caustic room will contain a mirrored reflecting pool of rippling water lit so that it throws water caustics on the ceiling and walls. It will be made of 2x4 cribbing that thematically ties it to the central installation. The placement at the back of the gallery creates a sense of journey and discovery. It also allows the water element to have dedicated space and impact. The water room transitions from the central installation's uneasy atmosphere to a more contemplative or reflective space.

Shipping and Assembly: The artwork and a small reflecting pool will be crated and shipped, and small paintings will be packed in the empty reflecting pool. All other materials will be sourced locally. Cables will be attached to 3-7 points along the top edge of the artwork for suspension. A shopping list and assembly instructions will be provided.

Symbolism: This installation reflects a contemporary interrogation of American myth-making through material-based storytelling.

Created from charred tree bark and framing, it directly responds to my experiences growing up in rural Northeast Florida in the 90s, where I witnessed the devastating effects of wildfires and the growing presence of drug use in my community, of charred trees and weathered shotgun houses, hunting clubs and shopping malls. The small town I knew has expanded exponentially in recent years; what once felt like a remote and rural community is now increasingly connected to urban sprawl. This work reflects on the rapid transformation of my childhood landscape—a transformation that mirrors the broader changes happening in communities nationwide. Through this work, I explore the complexities and contradictions of rural life on the borders of the suburban—a reality far from the simple, idyllic existence often portrayed. This exhibit takes inspiration from the decline of the American ideal, themes explored in Philip Roth's American Pastoral, particularly the loss of innocence in the face of social and political change.

Small paintings: The small landscape paintings reference the grand tradition of 19th-century American landscape painting—artists like Asher B. Durand, Sanford Robinson Gifford, George Inness, and Thomas Moran — who framed the West through the lens of Manifest Destiny. However, these works are not celebrations of that vision but subtly disrupt it. Rainbows and rainy atmospheres that dissolve into their frames introduce a sense of transience and impermanence. The rainbow—often a symbol of promise and renewal—is a marker, hinting at the land's beauty and the historical consequences of its conquest. These paintings will be dispersed throughout the installation, some dissolving into abstraction, others fully rendered, creating a fragmented sense of historical memory within the space. By using beauty as an entry point, these works encourage reflection on what has been lost in pursuing the American ideal.

Institutional Alignment: The Hum aligns with institutions that support immersive, material-driven installations exploring land, memory, and the shifting American ideal. Its intersection of painting, sculpture, and sound expands contemporary conversations around landscape and historical mythmaking. Artists such as Robert Smithson, Ana Mendieta, and Maya Lin have explored similar ideas of land as a site of memory and transformation. The use of found materials and industrial remnants echoes the approaches of Cornelia Parker, Rachel Whiteread, and Theaster Gates, repurposing remnants of destruction into something new. Sound elements, like the persistent lawnmower hum, create an immersive psychological space similar to Susan Philipsz and Janet Cardiff's work, drawing from historical and contemporary influences.

Public and Private Spaces: The flexibility of the format allows the work to be both a private, introspective museum piece and a public, interactive installation.

Acknowledgment: Indigenous peoples have inhabited the land for millennia, and I recognize the historical injustices they have faced. This work explores my relationship with this landscape, acknowledging its natural beauty and the social and environmental challenges it faces. It does not seek to romanticize rural life or erase the complex realities of those who live there.