"The glue that binds my work together is humor. The crux of my art is to explore the absurd, tragic, contradictory nature of living that humor can uniquely portray from multiple yet equal tangents. Because humor has no material preference, as an artist I have the freedom to explore different materials and processes. For many pieces, I use my self to filter into the artwork. I produce sculptures, installations, photographs, videos and performances equally. For me it is the emotional "ah hah" that I desire over any formal qualities. I want my viewer to feel before he/she thinks.
As pertaining to these two photographs. I see them as residues of performances. Each one shares an obvious kindred spirit with each other but comes from a very different conceptual place. Both try to pinpoint how identity is formed and nuanced. "Untitled" is about parallels, far fetched and tangible whereas "Untitled(Chasid)" has more to do with our present day politics of categorizing people based on ethnicity and politics.
In relation to the process, I was interested in creating fictions and relationships that go beyond the indelible connection to the original source and in that way it relates to my interest as an artist how objects, art or not, get charged and go beyond their fundamental material power. Neither of the pieces involve photo shop but instead involved methodically growing a beard and making sure shadows, glasses and attitude are just right." Charley Friedman, 2008
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