An experimental pop-conceptual series, currently in progress

​

With the advent of mass media in the 1960s, theorist Jean Baudrillard coined the term “simulacra” to describe how illusory representations have increasingly displaced us from the “real,” now evermore present in the 21st century with social media, deepfakes, and artificial intelligence. So too, our simulated relationship with the animal kingdom has caused us to lose touch with animals in their natural habitat. Begun in 2024, my painting series “The Animal Simulation,” encompasses the creation of hand-painted assemblages of popular animals mediated through the social imaginary (art, literature, film, advertisements, toys, and religious material culture). This series advocates for the respect we ought to extend to the animal for the animal's sake, appreciating their intrinsic value, rather than mere spectacles.