Handcraft

When I made Handcraft in 2004, I was thinking about craftsmanship in art. I was surrounded by artists with incredible technical abilities—people who could paint flawlessly or make things with remarkable precision. I have never considered technical skill to be my strength. My work has always been driven more by ideas than by virtuosity.

With Handcraft, I wanted to play with that contradiction. Instead of trying to become a master painter or sculptor, I put all my energy into building a photograph. In my apartment in Battery Park City (NYC), I covered the entire space with colorful materials from craft stores until every corner was filled. The work became a kind of handcrafted environment, but at the same time it was also a comment on the idea of craftsmanship itself. The result is an image that is overloaded with color and detail, where the process of making becomes part of the concept.