Hello Kitty: Four Directions
“Hello Kitty Room: Four Directions” is an immersive installation made for Rooms to Let Cleveland in response to the original space, which was an empty room painted in deep violet with bubble gum pink trim adorned with Hello Kitty stickers and punched out holes in the walls. I had very mixed emotions when I first entered the space and I wondered if it was a child or young adult’s room. I chose the bright color palette to compliment the deep purple and pink. A whole spectrum of color is important to this point because it recalls children’s art work and represents the subtle emotional shifts we all experience as we grow. The collage elements and symbolism are drawn and attached intuitively through a playful process which has become a hallmark of my work. I was happy to acknowledge how the space itself was a perfect fit for me to fully unravel a process of working that is so dear to me. I gave myself permission to include stickers and images from a children’s book and to look into my own nostalgic connection to the images, symbols, colors and textures I chose. My overall thought during making was, when children walk in to this space, will they enjoy the colorful chaos? The four directions and quote written on the floor is a reminder to adults that no matter what challenges or trials you’ve been through, all our steps have brought us to the moment we are standing in presently and we made it through.