Statement
I use the body as a site of consumption and commodification to explore the wider ecological and psychological systems that impact its wellbeing. My work draws attention to the effects of these external forces, both on our physical bodies and our psychological states. The use of organic materials deconstructs the relationship between the body, ecology, and the psyche by exposing the ways in which our societal system has created a disconnect between these elements for means of commodification.
Through a synthesized process, I explore the transformation of organic matter sourced from the environment, including paper, mycelium, birch bark, soil, and liquid. While these materials represent a pure form of natural elements, I question where the line is drawn between organic and synthetic. Metamorphosing the natural matter into synthetic imitations, unveils the replication and control entrenched in our capitalist structure driven by commodification. Transmuting the pure components to a synthetic one involves a laborious, time-consuming, and repetitive process involving various stages of deconstruction, saturation, and reconstruction. The result being the once natural matter becomes imbued with fabricated elements, left out to adapt to the surrounding environment.
My practice revolves around the exploration of the complex relationship between the self and the societal structures that shape it. I am interested in the ways in how these structures impact our psychological well-being, leading to states of exhaustion, dysphoria, and distress. In particular, I explore the growth and decay that can occur within the mind after being subjected to systems of social structure. Forms such as “A Decayed State of Mind” touch on the ever-changing nature of the human experience as it adapts and responds to its environment. Creating a relationship between the psyche and organic material, which can either thrive or deteriorate depending on the external forces and surroundings.
Jennifer Geruso holds a BFA degree from the Sculpture program at California State University of Long Beach. She is in pursuit to obtain her MFA with a discipline in sculpture. Her work has been showcased in four group exhibitions and is on permanent display at AI Studios - Boise. In 2022, she was awarded the Thomas J. Cloutier Endowed Sculpture Award and Long Beach State Endowed Scholarship.