Bad Actors

Bad Actors (2024)
Etching on paper, 24 x 30.5 cm
Techniques: Hard ground etching, aquatint, sugar lift, and spit bite

Bad Actors stages a dramatic standoff in a Western-style bar. A cowboy faces a woman standing resolutely across from him, both figures caught in a moment of intense tension. Behind them, rows of bottles on the shelf suggest a setting steeped in excess and blurred boundaries, where the characters' roles and emotions are at odds with the reality of their situation. Oysters sit on the bar, with shells scattered across the floor, adding to the sense of decay and abandon. Rats or mice scuttle in the corners, heightening the feeling of unease and disorder in the space.

Bad Actors explores themes of identity, performance, and failure. The exaggerated roles of the characters reflect the masks we wear in society, questioning the authenticity of these performances and the emotional disconnect that often arises.