Places to Hide

When I was a little boy, I liked to hide in quiet, isolated areas. It could be under a desk, in a corner of the balcony, or just in a closet. Whenever I occupied these small, private spaces it gave me a feeling of profound security. The images in Places to Hide are in part my way of remembering this feeling. I think the feeling I experienced has something in common with the homing instinct that pulls animals such as birds or fish back to their home territories. Unlike animals, though, human beings have no such places other than the womb itself. In my view, humans long for something like the womb—a place that provides a comfortable, quiet, and safe environment. In Places to Hide, my intent is to make visible this wish by placing nude figures in small, enclosed spaces throughout the urban landscape. The figures are curled up, suggesting the way a fetus occupies its mother’s womb.