Clark Ledbetter
BFA: Art with Studio Emphasis in Sculpture
Artist Name:
Clark Ledbetter
Work Title:
Untitled
Medium:
Muslin sheets, wax castings
Artist Statement:
For this exhibition, I will juxtapose the affirming nature of t4t (trans for trans) relationships and body dysmorphia.
This show includes life-sized cyanotype prints of my partner and I, made from cyanotype-dyed muslin sheets. These pieces hang on the gallery wall and invite interaction to allow the viewer to peak into what's happening in our bed and give curiosity the space to be a driving factor.
On an adjacent wall are wax castings of my chest for the audience to interact with - smashing, etc. I've paired them with a looped audio of a poem told from my chest's point of view. I invite viewers to explore that dialogue of mutual resentment and challenge the complicated emotions of desiring a different body, and feeling alien in the one dealt at birth. As a sculpture major, I am deeply interested in forms and media. Casting is a core aspect of sculptural practice and I enjoy live casting as a way to share and abstract my own physicality. Breasts are naturally a primary source of dysphoria for trans folks and I wish to acknowledge the dissonance caused by this resentment and societal pressures that vilify gender affirming body modification.
Artist Bio:
Clark Ledbetter is a Saint Louis-based artist that explores queer intimacy and the trans-masc experience through his sculptural, photographic, and performative works. He brings a camp approach to socio-political critique, aiming to create a space for acknowledgement, questioning, and understanding. Primarily, he works with clay, concrete, and performance. He pushes the viewer to embrace their curiosity and bridge the gap between their understanding of transness, and the documented reality of his lived experience.
Artist Portfolio: