Hollis Hammonds
Built on threads of personal memory and tied to the public
collective consciousness, my drawings and found-object
installations investigate a variety of social issues, from
environmental degradation to economic disparity and both
natural and man-made disasters. Most recently, my work
reflects on the overwhelming evidence of useless violence
and abuse of power within our criminal justice system.
I utilize beauty as a device to unpack difficult issues, as can be
seen in Domestic Brutality. This black–and–blue installation,
which combines western decorative motifs with images of police
brutality (regularly seen on the news as well as on social media
and YouTube), unveils the blind indifference of many American
households to this unnecessary violence.
Utilizing drawing, painting, objects, and scale to represent my
own experiences, observations, and beliefs, I create complex
scenes where truth/fiction and past/future can intersect and
overlap, hopefully leaving space for interpretation and personal
reflection on the part of the viewer.