Samantha Haring

Region: MFA Annual

Website: http://www.samharing.com

City / State: Cincinnati, OH

I make quiet paintings in a noisy world. My work is an intimate meditation on humble objects and the detritus of studio life. I aim to promote a reengagement with the mundane while creating a moment of reflection for the viewer.

My current work is a series of single-object portraits of packing materials and other containers. I am interested in contemplating the things we use to fill empty space. Bubble wrap, air pockets, and other kinds of recycled paper are temporary objects by design; they are intrinsically important while something is in transit, but immediately disposable once the destination is reached. These objects offer a literal form of cushioning, protection, or armor, yet, when seen in isolation, they become as much about the space around them and the unseen things as they are about themselves. I am forever striving to make the invisible visible. Emptiness is an illusion. Even in silence, there is a tremendous amount of noise.